NILSSONS DISCOVERY 55 



moreover brought about a kind of competition with the local 

 seed dealers, which was felt to be a hindrance to its further 

 development. Five years after its estabhshment (1891) 

 these considerations led to a separation of the two branches, 

 a separate company for the sale of the improved grains being 

 organized under the name of Allmanna Svenska Utsadesak- 

 tiebolaget or General Seed-grain Trading Company of 

 Sweden. This company has its seat at Svalof, too, and re- 

 ceives the seeds of the ameliorated varieties which the society 

 has produced, in order to multiply and distribute them. It 

 is operated constantly under the control of the seed-grain 

 society and thereby is enabled to keep its races uniform and 

 to sell them under a full guarantee of purity. 



Before leaving the history of the experiment station, some 

 words should be added concerning its means of providing 

 races for different parts of Sweden. Sweden embraces a wide 

 range of climates, from its cold northern parts to the mild 

 and favorable clime of the southern provinces. Moreover, 

 there is a large variety of soils. Hence it is evident that the 

 production of good cereals for all those various parts can- 

 not be effected at one single point. No variety can claim to 

 be appropriate for a definite soil or climate before it has been 

 tested under the circumstances for wliich it is destined. The 

 work of the society is therefore twofold, and the principle has 

 been accepted that the varieties are produced at Svalof, but 

 afterward sent to other localities, according to their qualities 

 and their probability of success. Everywhere in the country, 

 the numerous local agricultural societies are co-operating 

 with the station of Svalof for this purpose. x\s soon as a 

 new race is considered especially recommendable for some 

 soil or some cHmate, it is sent to the locahty in question and 

 tested there by field cultures in comparison with the local 

 sorts. By this means, many valuable improvements of local 

 cultures have been obtained. 



