DISCOVERY OF MARQUIS WHEAT 205 



tal Farm and at the branch farms, and a certain number 

 of samples were sent out for trial to farmers and experi- 

 mentalists in various places. Twenty-seven such samples 

 were distributed from Ottawa in 1892,'"' but for various 

 reasons, particularly on account of its small yield and very 

 short straw, the Indian wheat has not proved a success 

 under Canadian conditions.''^ 



Hard Red Calcutta, when grown in Canada, was found 

 to ripen exceedingly early in the season, some two or three 

 weeks earlier than Red Fife; but, unfortunately, linked 

 with this very desirable character were others which were 

 very undesirable, the chief being a poor yield, very short 

 straw, the shattering of the grains from their glumes when 

 ripe, and the bearded condition of the heads. 



The newly imported Indian wheat was crossed with 

 Red Fife in 1892 with the hope of obtaining a wheat like 

 Red Fife but which would ripen much earlier in the sea- 

 son than the standard variety.''^ The progeny of the cross 

 included types with short straw, with long straw, and with 

 medium straw; types with short heads, long heads and 

 intermediate heads; types with the early-ripening habit, 

 the late-ripening habit; and so forth. From all these 

 types were selected a few which most nearly resembled 

 Red Fife in general appearance but which possessed the 

 early-ripening habit ; and it was the best one of these few 

 which was subsequently named and introduced as Marquis. 



Under what circumstances Hard Red Calcutta came 

 into existence in India is unknown to the writer. It is 

 very probable that its origin, like that of so many other 



76 Experimental Farms Reports for 1902, p. 14. 



77 S. A. Bedford in a report on wheats grown at Brandon Experi- 

 mental Farm in 1891, Experimental Farms Reports for 1901, p. 

 249. 



78 See Section II on : The 8eleotion of Marqii/is by Dr. Charles E. 

 Bowlders. 



