CENTGENER METHOD 113 



studied during the growing period and those showing supe- 

 rior qualities are marked by placing a stick or a wire rod 

 beside each. Twenty plants are usually selected from 

 each bed. The heads are clipped from these plants and 

 put into separate envelopes. The twenty envelopes each 

 containing the progeny of individual plants are weighed 

 separately, and the ten having the highest weight are re- 

 tained, the lighter ones being discarded. 



The second year the seeds in each of the ten selected 

 envelopes are sown an equal distance apart in little square 

 plots, known as centgener beds. A study of the plants is 

 made during the growing period and the best heads from 

 at least ten of the best plants are secured. These heads 

 are placed in envelopes, the shrunken kernels being dis- 

 carded, since only the best seeds are to be used for the 

 following year. 



The third year the process of the second year is repeated, 

 and in the fourth year the entire yield of each of the ten 





Fig- 59- Two centgeners of wheat. 

 M. AND H. PLANT PROD. 8 



