WINNIPEG, 1909. 761 
variants some form would be found superior to its parents. Looking back 
on the records it is now obvious that the majority of their crosses were very 
unlikely to give results of value. Even when the desired types were found, 
the difficulties were by no means overcome, as it was necessary to fix the 
new variety ; under the old conditions, this generally meant years of tedious 
‘selection’ and often ultimate failure. 
The republication of Mendel’s work and its speedy confirmation and 
extension altered the whole aspect of affairs by giving a rational explana- 
tion of the phenomena which had so puzzled breeders. It was proved that 
the variants were the results of recombinations of characters, obvious or 
otherwise, already existent in the parents; furthermore, it showed how the 
essential fixity of type could be secured. 
To put wheat breeding on a certain basis it was necessary in the first 
place to trace the mode of inheritance of the many characteristics which 
in various combinations make up the existent varieties of wheat. With 
some few exceptions this has now been done, and it has been shown that 
nearly all the outstanding features of importance from an economic point 
of view ‘ Mendelise’ and can be brought together in any desired combina- 
tion. Thus, by way of an example, a wheat of the general character of 
Rivett wheat, with its beard, grey colour, and rough chaff, but producing 
strong grain like that of Red Fife, can be bred and fixed in three genera- 
tions by crossing Rivett wheat and Red Fife. Again, the same cross will 
give the corresponding beardless or white and smooth-chaffed types. 
In view of the steadily increasing demand for strong wheats and the 
general shortage of the world’s supply of such sorts much attention has 
been paid to the inheritance of this characteristic. To simplify matters a 
strong wheat was defined as one capable of yielding a light and well-piled 
loaf—that is to say, a loaf of large volume, which stands well and does not 
flatten out in the baker’s oven. Such a definition was necessary in view 
of the conflicting opinions current as to the real meaning to be attached to 
the term ‘strength.’ 
Before deciding on the best varieties to use as strong parents many 
preliminary trials had to be made, These tended to show that strength was 
not so simple a characteristic as might have been expected. Many varieties 
possessing this feature in a high degree in their own countries, when grown 
under our climatic conditions gave wheat no stronger than our own weak 
sorts. This appeared to be particularly the case with some of the finest of 
the Hungarian varieties. Some few varieties, on the other hand, produced 
excellent grain when grown year after year in this country. One of the 
best examples of these varieties is Red Fife, or Galician wheat. This has 
now been grown over a period of sixteen years, chiefly in the West Midlands 
but also in many other parts of the country, and its grain can still compete 
on equal terms with the Red Fife imported from Canada as ‘ Manitoba 
Hard.’ 
It is with strength of this type—the strength determined not merely by 
climatic conditions, though possibly varying a little from season to season 
—that the breeders of this country are concerned. Further, as Red Fife 
appears to retain its strength wherever it is grown, it is not improbable 
that this variety will prove to be the progenitor of the world’s strong wheats 
in the future. Unfortunately there are many drawbacks to its cultivation 
in this country, and it is doubtful whether it will ever become one of our 
staple varieties, except, possibly, in some few localities. .On many soils it 
is an indifferent cropper, and even in those places in which it gives a satis- 
factory yield the straw does not stand as well as that of our common wheats. 
Could the breeder only combine its excellent quality of grain with a heavy 
cropping capacity and stiff straw he would obtain a variety which would 
go far towards making wheat again the most profitable crop of the farm. 
