The Forward Movement in Plant-Breeding 303 



guarantee variety shipments true to name and free from 

 disease. This association, like its sister organization, does 

 business on a large scale and has at present nearly 300 

 members. " Potato Special" trains have been run through- 

 out the state under its auspices and that of the State 

 College of Agriculture, and several very successful potato 

 exhibits have been held. 



This association has done much to standardize certain 

 commercial varieties of potatoes and to put seed on the 

 market which is true to name. Its members found our 

 varieties badly mixed up and containing many distinct 

 types. This purifying of varieties is the first step toward 

 careful and systematic breeding. 



A Minnesota association, known as the " Minnesota 

 Field Crop Breeders' Association," has been organized 

 with a similar plan and objects as the Wisconsin associa- 

 tions. It publishes an elaborate annual report giving 

 information concerning the work of the association as a 

 whole and the activities of the county sections, of which 

 there are many. One of the functions of the association, 

 besides encouraging the production and sale of pure-bred 

 seeds, is to stage elaborate exhibits of farm products at 

 the state and other fairs. 



In some states, notably Illinois, Ohio, and New York, 

 associations of breeders have been established on a dif- 

 ferent membership basis. They have chosen to have 

 smaller associations consisting of persons who bind them- 

 selves to follow certain rules and regulations laid down 

 by the association. The Illinois Seed-corn Breeders' 

 Association is such an organization. Its members grow 

 .certain varieties of corn recognized by the association 



