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Breeding work with Black oats intended for Middle Sweden is now 

 largely concentrated at the Station at Ultima under the supervision of the 

 superintendent, Mr. A. Elofson. The more prominent black sorts now 

 under investigation are Black Bell I, Black Bell II, Great Mogul, Common 

 Roslag and Fyris. Short descriptions of these sorts are submitted as follow: 



0401 , Bell I. Stiff strawed and quite early ripening. On stiff clay soils 

 in the black oat districts it is frequently excelled by the common country 

 sorts, but on heavy vegetable soils it often gives considerably higher yields 

 than the latter. 



0408, Bell II. Said to be a natural crossing between Bell I and Gold 

 Rain. In yield as well as in quality this sort has proven somewhat superior 

 to Bell I, which it has come to largely displace. In type of plant it closely 

 resembles Bell I from which it is distinguished in the field by its smaller 

 glume which, at maturity, is not so bell-like in appearance. The kernels 

 are somewhat thinner in the hull and higher in weight than those of common 

 Bell I. This sort first came on the market in 1909. 



A peculiarity of both Bell I and Bell II is the unusual development of 

 sterile flowers or spikelets at the base of the panicle. 



0450 Great Mogul. PL pure line from Black Tartarian. Panicle very 

 large and long, often overhanging; spikelets large with long, close light- 

 colored glumes. Kernels tolerably large, long, well filled, plump, thin hulled 

 and long-awned. Plants very tall with unusually stiff straw. Ripens late 

 so is not recommended for provinces north of Stockholm. Thrives best on 

 clay and sandy soils. Is the best black sort yet produced for the southern 

 parts of the black oat districts, but is not suitable for the later districts. 

 For this reason it has been crossed with Bell II. This sort came on the 

 market for the first time in 1901. 



The Common Roslag is an old sort peculiar to the district of Roslagen in 

 Middle Sweden and distinguished from the other black sorts of the country 

 by its more upright and richer panicle. In trials at Ultuna, on stiff clay 

 soils, it has proven to be the highest yielder of all black sorts tested, but by 

 reason of its lateness it has been somewhat excelled on the average of a 

 number of years' tests by Fyris (Improved Roslag) , which is a strain of this 

 variety. Unlike Probstier, Roslag has shown a dearth of different forms. 

 By the system of line-breeding now in vogue however it is hoped that superior 

 strains may eventually be isolated. Because of the weakness of its straw it 

 has been crossed with Bell II. 



01004, Fyris. As just explained this sort is a strain out of the Common 

 Roslag variety, and is now regarded as of special value for stiff soils 

 where the latter is too late. While this sort shows but little improvement 

 over the mother sort in yield of grain, and is actually lower in straw produc- 

 tion, yet it is found to be more than a week earlier and also of better quality 

 (4% less hull and 2% fewer double kernels) than the latter. It is still quite as 

 weak strawed as the original mixed sort and has therefore been crossed with 

 Bell II and Great Mogul. Came on the market first in 1911. 



Three forms resulting from a natural crossing between Black Tartarian 

 and Probstier, and combining the high yield of the latter with the strong 



