IMPROVEMENT AND BREEDING OF WHEAT 409 



subsequent propagation has produced the majority of the world's most 

 famous wheats. 



The practice was initiated by Le Couteur and Shirreff in the early 

 years of the nineteenth century, and was subsequently adopted in this 

 country by Hallett, by Vilmorin in France, Nilsson at Svalctf in Sweden, 

 and Hays in the United States. 



All the widely grown English wheats of last century originated in this 

 manner. Chidham wheat was derived from a plant found in a hedge in 

 Sussex ; Fenton came from a three-strawed plant discovered in a quarry 

 in Scotland ; Hunter's White was the progeny of a plant taken from the 

 roadside, and Browick and Squarehead wheats were descended from single 

 " rogue " plants growing among crops of another kind. 



Similarly, the American Fultz originated from three beardless ears 

 observed in a field of Lancaster wheat, and the renowned Canadian Fife 

 was derived from a single plant grown from a mixed sample of imported 

 European wheat. 



The true ancestry of these selected plants can only be surmised. In 

 some instances it is probable that they are stray plants of kinds already 

 cultivated elsewhere. Others are doubtless ordinary Mendelian segre- 

 gates from recently produced natural hybrids. The majority, however, 

 appear to be hereditary sports or mutations arising out of plants whose 

 remote ancestors were hybrids. A few may be variants unconnected with 

 hybridisation and due to causes which are at present unknown. 



After the initial selection of a special ear or plant, the time required 

 to obtain a sufficient quantity of grain to sow in the field is comparatively 

 short, enough for the ordinary seeding of 15 to 20 acres being easily 

 secured at the third harvest, without adopting any very special methods 

 for increasing the crop. 



The following is a typical example of the rapidity of multiplication of 

 a new form of wheat from a single ear, the results being obtained by Mr. 

 Jonas of Liverpool in 1838-41. 



Fifty grains taken from a selected ear were sown (dibbled) in 1838. 

 Only thirty grew, but the produce from these was 14! oz. From this 

 quantity he obtained i^ bushels in 1839, which returned 45 bushels in 

 1840. From the latter amount he harvested 537 bushels in 1841, four 

 years after the selection of the single ear. 



A good ear usually yields from 4-5 to 5 grs. of grain, which when 

 sown on good land in rows 9 inches apart each way will produce rarely 

 less than 450 grs. about i Ib. at the first harvest. This amount sown 

 thinly yields about i bushel of grain or 60 Ibs. at the second harvest, 

 which when sown on an acre of good land in clean condition generally 

 produces 35 to 40 bushels (third harvest). 



Shirreff laid special emphasis upon the initial selection, and con- 



