IMPROVEMENT OP WHEAT BY SELECTION 95 



ones failed. Even after a success was assured the annual 

 selections were continued to see if a strain superior to 

 what was originally called Hunter 's Al would be 

 obtained. Thus from 1910 till the present time about 65 

 pure strains of Hunter's have been under trial each year, 

 but none of these has so far proved better than Al. Ten 

 other strains are still under trial. 



In Velvet the same work has been done as in Hunter's. 

 Some 400 selections have been made, but none has proved 

 of sufficient merit to warrant its distribution. Several 

 times over strains of high yield have been secured, but 

 these had to be rejected owing to thickness of husk 

 or to poor quality of flour, or liability to " shake" in 

 the wind. On the other hand, strains of good quality 

 have been isolated, but their yield was not constantly 

 above that of the commercial sample. 



In Pearl, also, 400 selections have been made, and one 

 of these has successfully passed its fourth year of trial. 

 It is of high quality and has averaged 4 bushels per acre 

 more than the commercial seed. This year (1917) it 

 will be tried by a few selected farmers as well as in the 

 plots at the College. 



In White Straw Tuscan again out of about 500 

 selections two give considerable promise, and are in their 

 fourth year of trial. Of these also some seed will be 

 given to a few farmers for trial before a pronouncement 

 is made. 



Solid Straw Tuscan is a variety that shows great 

 evenness of growth and few variations, and the earlier 

 selections proved worthless. One of the 50 selections 

 made in 1913, however, when it was harvested in 1914 

 gave evidence of good quality combined with high pro- 

 ductivity. Successive trials have caused it to keep its 

 position in the breeding plots, and it is now entering on 

 its final year before an opinion is finally expressed as to 

 its superiority. 



