24 



Develop- 

 ment of the 

 original 

 Princess 

 Barley. 



and oats. Bjth the large kernelled lot and the small kernelled lot required 

 for this experiment were obtained from a mixed variety, and in each 

 succeeding generation the sample of large kernels required to continue 

 the test was obtained from the plot sown with large kernels while the 

 small kernels were obtained from the plot produced from small kernels. 

 This practice was continued for a number of years with the result that, to 

 the surprise of those interested, two apparently quite distinct types were 

 finally separated. 



The inference in this case must also be that the original varieties were 

 composed of different strains, some of which were normally small kernelled 

 and some large. By continuously taking only the small or large kernels, as 

 the case might be, from their respective groups, all transgressive forms in 

 respect of the character concerned, were gradually eliminated, with the above 

 result. 



The principal object of the work at this time being to produce "pure, 

 constant and uniform sorts," great care was exercised in selecting plants 

 which corresponded as closely as possible with a given type. Due attention 

 was therefore given to all botanical marks which might aid in this direction. 

 Thus in seeking to produce pure stocks of barley, certain marks on the kernels 

 were found of assistance. With the help of these marks, which proved to be 

 the basis of the present system of classification for barleys in use at Svalof 

 and which will be described later (See page 133) , a relatively pure stock 

 of ' two old sorts (Chevalier and Prentice) was produced and placed on the 

 market in the early nineties (29, p. 10). Relatively pure stocks of other 

 sorts such as Swedish Plumage barley and Black Tartarian oats, soon followed, 

 while in 1895 a stock of improved Prentice bailey which received the name 

 Princess, another of Awnless Probstier oats and still another of Renodlad 

 (Selected) Squarehead wheat, were given over to the General Swedish Seed 

 Company for propagation and distribution. The development of the three 

 last sorts is interesting. 



In the case of Princess, Bolin (6, p. 113-14) isolated three groups of forms 

 from the old Prentice variety of barley, each of which groups possessed 

 certain prominent characters. The most prominent characteristic of one of 

 these groups was said to be the peculiar arrangement of the lateral rudi- 

 mentary kernels which, on one side of the head near the tip, assumed an 

 almost upright position. From this group was obtained the original Princess 

 barley a stock of which was given over to the General Swedish Seed Company 

 in each of two years (1895-1896) and which quite displaced the old Prentice. 



The superiority of the new sort over the old is said to have been in its 

 striking uniformity in height and color of plant and in its higher yield. For 

 the average of the four years 1894-97 it gave decidedly higher yields than 

 Prentice which came next among all sorts tested (30, p. 136). 



A pedigree sort out of Prentice displaced the mass-selected sort Princess 

 about 1897 on account of the belief that pedigree sorts must be better than 

 composite races. The results do not show however, that pedigree stocks out 

 of the variety mentioned, actually excelled Princess in yield. 



