238 ESSAYS ON "WHEAT 



There may he some wlio have been inclined to suppose 

 that the discovery of Marquis was nothing more than a 

 lucky accident; but such a supposition is entirely errone- 

 ous. The details of the career of Dr. Saunders, as out- 

 lined above, show us that the discoverer of Marquis was a 

 man who had had a thorough preparation for his work by 

 studying for several years at two of the best universities 

 on this continent. His training had given him the neces- 

 sary insight into the problem of wheat-breeding, mastery 

 of method, resource for difficulties, and unfailing patience. 

 In the winter of 1903—04: when he was making the chewing 

 tests which led to the discovery of Marquis, Dr. Saunders 

 was no mere boy, for he was 36 years old. His salary at 

 that time was indeed small — only $100 per month — 

 but he was rich in the possession of faculties which had 

 been taught to do his bidding and endowed with the cour- 

 age and determination of a man in the prime of life. How 

 well he employed those faculties is now a matter of history. 

 In his own domain of breeding cereals he has won the 

 place of a king. 



XXIX. Governing Bodies and Scientific Research 



When the Universities of Toronto and Johns Hopkins 

 were giving instruction to Dr. Saunders, they little thought 

 that, in the course of a few years, the work of one of their 

 quietest and least obtrusive students would lead to the pro- 

 duction of increased wealth in North America more than 

 sufficient to defray the annual cost of their growth and 

 maintenance; but, by training men of the stamp of Dr. 

 Saunders, those institutions have fully justified their exist- 

 ence; and, in return, they need not hesitate to claim the 

 heartiest support of the public. In the story of the dis- 

 covery of Marquis wheat, governing bodies everywhere 

 may find a striking illustration of the wisdom of giving 



