RESULTS OF SELECTION WITH SELF-FERTILIZED CROPS 129 



tance may be improved by selection. The illustration below, 

 taken from Williams (1916), shows clearly what has been accom- 

 plished at the Ohio Station in the way of isolating a strain with 

 stiff straw. The three pure lines shown are selections from the 

 commercial variety Fultz. 



FIG. 26. Variation in stiffness of straw in pure line selections of Fultz wheat. 

 (After C. G. Williams.) 



OAT SELECTIONS 



The Maine Experiment Station has made somewhat extensive 

 studies of pure lines in oats (Surface and Zinn, 1916). The 

 yields of commercial varieties were compared with that of their 

 respective pure-line selections. In Table XXVIII are given a 

 part of the data reported in Maine Agricultural Bulletin 250. 



The average of the seven pure lines of Banner for the entire 

 period of the test is 81 bu. per acre, while that of the commercial 

 Banner is 79.7 bu. The average difference for the period of 

 the test between commercial Irish Victor and the four pure lines 

 is nearly 6 bu. per acre. 



9 



