IMPROVEMENT OF WHEAT BY SELECTION 89 



comparison in the laboratory to 100. Each, of these 100 

 heads was threshed separately and their seed sown in 

 small plots close together on land as even as possible. 

 Among the 100 plots there were placed at frequent inter- 

 vals plots of the ordinary Hunter's of commerce to serve 

 as a check upon the selections. As soon as the plants 

 had started to grow many differences in habit of growth 

 became apparent. Some were more vigorous, some taller, 

 some more spreading, some darker green than the others. 

 As growth progressed, further variations were seen and 

 noted, and finally the 100 plots were cut and threshed 

 separately. Of these rows the best 11 were selected and 

 their seed sown next year again in long plots beside each 

 other so as to avoid as much as possible the variations 

 in soil. The growth characters in this year proved to 

 be in the main the same as those noted in the preceding 

 year, though in some cases the features were more marked 

 and in some cases less marked. This was doubtless due 

 to the difference in the season. The yields of these 11 

 rows after threshing were as follows : 



Average of Commercial Plots 100. 



Plot. named. bush. p. ac. Plot. named. bush. p. ac. 



1. Al 118-1 7. A7 106-7 



2. A2 82-6 8. A8 143-4 



3. A3 103-4 9. A9 96-4 



4. A4 116-3 10. A10 112-6 



5. A5 77-9 11. All 121-2 



6. A6 114-3 



Plots 1, 4, 6, 8, 10, 11, were kept for further trial. 

 Plot 8 had proved to be a natural hybrid one of the 

 three that have been observed among the thousands of 

 single ear selections that have since been grown. Its 

 hybrid nature explains its great productivity, but this 

 gradually lessened in succeeding years, and since there 

 were qualities of grain and straw that made it undesir- 

 able it was finally discarded. It will not be referred to 

 again. The seed from the remaining rows were sown in 



