228 ESSAYS ON WHEAT 



position as the dominant spring wheat in western Canada 

 within five years ; and it is probable that it will still hold 

 the lead over large tracts of country ten or twenty years 

 hence. 



Marquis, even if it retains its great place for only ten 

 or even five years more, will have been of enormous prac- 

 tical advantage to the world during the most critical stage 

 of its history, for some hundreds of millions of bushels of 

 it have been conveyed to Europe during the past four 

 years of the Great War to feed the soldiers of the Allies 

 in the field and to sustain the civilian populations of the 

 British Isles, France, Italy, Belgium and Greece at home. 

 In a very real sense Marquis has done much to strengthen 

 the sinews of war of those fighting for the great cause of 

 liberty, and therefore has been no small factor in making, 

 victory possible. It is certain that had Marquis not re- 

 placed Red Fife in the great spring-wheat area of North 

 America, the world's supply of wheat during the late food 

 crisis would have been many millions of bushels less than 

 it actually was. 



XXVI. Saunders and Burbank 



Were there in existence a book recording the services of 

 all those who have deserved the gratitude of their fellow- 

 men for the improvements they have brought about in cul- 

 tivated plants, its pages would be many and its roll of 

 honor a very lengthy one. Some day, perhaps, the tri- 

 umphs of the plant breeder will be set down in the history 

 of a nation as of no less importance than the valorous deeds 

 of brave men performed amid blood and mud and the 

 thunder of great guns upon the field of battle; but this 

 can scarcely be hoped for until the world has entered upon 

 its future development in the spirit of a united family. 



Only very few of the names of the leaders in the science 



