CHAPTER VIII. 



VARIOUS METHODS OF BREEDING WHEAT. 



A second method of breeding wheat, more effective 

 than the method adapted to the conditions of the farmer 

 given on previous pages, may be outlined as follows : 

 Plant of a standard variety of wheat 5000 seeds in hills 

 as mentioned in previous paragraphs. When ripe re- 

 move all but 500 of the plants which appear to be the 

 best yielders. Harvest the spikes of each of these sep- 

 arately and place them in a packet. Weigh the spikes 

 from each plant and discard all but 200 of the best 

 plants. Shell these, weigh and grade the seeds and dis- 

 card all but the best 50 plants. Mix the seeds of these 

 50 plants together rapidly multiply into a variety and 

 distribute the fifth to the seventh year. Wheat thus 

 bred will have a more interesting pedigree than that 

 bred by the first method. It will serve to offer for sale 

 as a variety a stock of seeds of the original variety more 

 improved than that first sold and should prove profit- 

 able to purchasers. Since it is based on the blood lines 

 of 50 mother plants, chosen for high yield and superior 

 quality of berry, its milling and bread-making proper- 

 ties will differ little from that of the standard parent 

 variety used as foundation stock. The 'farmers and 

 millers will accept improved forms thus originated with 

 little fear of lack of quality in the flour or bread. It is 

 worthy of note that in Canada millers have found fault 

 with Prof. Zavits for having brought about the general 

 use of one or two varieties of wheat which have lacked 

 so much in quality that the output of the mills was un- 

 favorably affected. To compete with the best flour 

 the mills must have wheat with gluten of good color 

 and especially tough and strong in the dough. Prof. 

 Zavits evidently paid too strict attention to yield and 



