80 WHEAT PRODUCTION IN NEW ZEALAND 
inspection but only from a study of its offspring, all 
these workers grew the offspring in plots in comparative 
trials with other varieties, and based their conclusions 
as to the value of a selection on its performances during 
the few succeeding generations. Hays, of Minnesota, 
United States of America, and von Lochow, of Petkus, 
Germany, separately hit upon the plan of growing 100 
seeds of very numerous single ear selections, and com- 
paring the offspring of the plots; and to this method 
of comparing the yield of selections the name of the 
‘‘centgener power’’ was given. Mr. Green, of Ruakura, 
New Zealand, tells me that he also found the idea of 
single ear selection independently, and, indeed, it could 
hardly be otherwise since no information on the subject 
was available to the English speaking world prior to 
the publication in 1907 of De Vries’ Plant Breeding.* 
Other workers apparently hit on the same plan, but did 
not follow it up to success.t 
During the development of the single ear method 
other plans for the improvement of wheat were occupy- 
ing the attention of breeders. A special plan was 
adopted and elaborated by F. F. Hallett, who commenced 
work at Brighton, England, in 1857. From the best 
head he could find he picked the best single grain, and 
grew that under the most favourable conditions he could 
secure in a garden. He gave the resulting plant the best 
of soil, manure, moisture, and space. From the best 
head produced he again selected the best grain, and so 
on, growing the plants for many generations under ideal 
conditions. Great improvements were of course secured, 
and some stir was raised among those who saw his work. 
But the improvements were mainly the result of environ- 
ment, and as soon as the plants were put back under 
*«¢Plant Breeding.’’ De Vries. Kegan Paul and Co. 
tRust in Wheat Conference. Parliament of South Australia. 
Paper XXIV., 1892, pages 56-7. 
