40 DOMINION EXPERIMENTAL FARMS 



While Marquis leaves very little to be desired in some dis- 

 tricts, it does not ripen early enough in other parts to be safe 

 from danger of frost. Still earlier varieties are therefore 

 required. Many such sorts have been produced at Ottawa 

 during the last few years, and some of them have been tested 

 at other farms as well and have been found to possess most 

 of the qualities desired for those districts where Marquis has 

 not proved sufficiently early. This important branch of work 

 is being advanced as rapidly as possible, and the introduction 

 to the public of one or two very early ripening wheats of high 

 quality may be looked for in the near future. 



While, in the cross-breeding of spring wheat, most atten- 

 tion is being given to the needs of the northern districts of 

 Canjida, where the summer season is short, the problems of 

 wheat growers in other sections are not being neglected. 



Cross-breeding has also been carried on in oats, barley, 

 peas, flax and beans. 



Since much attention is paid to the breeding and selection 

 of oats in other countries — especially in England and Sweden — 

 and the varieties produced abroad have generally proved suit- 

 able for Canada also, it has not seemed necessary in the Cereal 

 Division, to devote so much time to oats as to spring wheat. 

 Some cross-breeding, however, has been carried on with a view 

 to the production of a satisfactory variety of huUess oat. Efforts 

 have also been made to originate a superior sort of early-matur- 

 ing oat both by cross-breeding and by selection. 



In barley, cross-breeding has been conducted to produce 

 very early maturing varieties with good straw. Beardless (or 

 '^ hooded") and hulless types have been largely dealt with, and 

 many new sorts of striking and novel character, now quite 

 fixed in type, are under test. 



The researches in peas have given rise to some new varieties 

 of considerable promise so far as productiveness is concerned. 

 One of these, an early maturing sort named Arthur, has been 

 distributed with good results. 



The work of cross-breeding in flax and in field beans was 

 commenced quite recently, and it would be unprofitable to dis- 

 cuss the results at this time. 



(5). Distribution. 



The final stages of the work of the Cereal Division are the 

 propagation and the distribution to farmers of new and improved 

 cereals. 



The propagation is generally commenced at Ottawa and is 

 transferred to one or more of the branch Farms when a sufficient 

 quantity of seed for the purpose has been obtained. Most of 



