462 Plant-Breeding 



4. Second Year. Cultivating the seedlings. In the spring 

 the seedlings must be cleaned out very early before they are 

 hidden by other grasses. The cultivation and hoeing must be 

 done at sufficient intervals to keep the ground free from weeds 

 and in good condition. These plants will produce a few culms 

 each the first summer, which should be cut as soon as they have 

 bloomed, in order that the strength shall go into the general 

 growth. Do not attempt to select the best plants the first 

 season. A safe judgment cannot be rendered until the second 

 season. 



5. Third Year. Selecting the best plants. When the plants 

 reach the stage for cutting in the second summer, that is, when 

 they are in full bloom, the final selection of the best individuals 

 can be made. Examine each row critically in order to determine 

 which head or heads have given the best progeny as a whole. 

 If any one or two rows are markedly superior to the others, 

 choose several of the best plants in each of these rows. Also, 

 choose the one best plant in each of the other rows. 



6. Testing the selected plants as clonal varieties. In order to 

 make a further test of the 14 or 15 best plants, choose another 

 uniform plat of fairly good soil between the 5th and 20th of Septem- 

 ber and prepare for planting an area of slightly over 60 feet square. 

 This plat should be located at some distance from any other 

 timothy, preferably 200 to 300 feet. Dig up each selected 

 plant ; divide it into slips or clons and plant this new plat with 

 them as before, in rows 4 feet apart. Plant one row with slips 

 from each selected plant, placing the plants 2 feet apart in the 

 rows. Transplant about 30 slips from each of the selected 

 plants, so there will be a single row from each about 60 feet long. 

 This plat may be designated as "the clonal test plat." 



As soon as this clonal test plat is planted from the selected 

 plants, the seedling test plat may be plowed up and used for 

 other purposes. 



7. Fourth Year. Cultivation of "clonal test plat." The 



