90 



Agriculture Abroad. 



[Ape., 



the Dominion. By breeding and selection, therefore, each 

 Province is endeavouring to produce varieties of wheat that will 

 not only give optimum results to the grower, but will also 

 possess satisfactory milling quahties. Improvement of the wheat 

 crop is also encouraged by the Canadian Seed Growers' Associa- 

 tion* and by private individuals. That their united efforts have 

 been attended with success there is no doubt. The result is 

 demonstrated in two directions. First, doubtless in part owdng 

 to war conditions, the wheat acreage has been greatly increased : 

 in 1918, 'it was approximately two million acres above the 

 average acreage of the three preceding years, while in 1919 

 there was a further increase of another two million acres. 

 Secondly, the value in increased wheat production owing to the 

 specially selected cars of wdieat which w-ere recleaned and dis- 

 tributed at cost for seeding purposes throughout Canada can 

 scarcely be estimated. 



At first, twenty-eight varieties representing the produce of 

 the chief grain-growing countries of the world were selected 

 by the Dominion Department of Agriculture from grain offered 

 for sale on the London Corn Exchange. Among these were four 

 varieties of wheat from India, namely, Kurrachee, Hard Cal- 

 cutta, Ked Calcutta, and Club Calcutta, some of which proved 

 valuable for breeding strains of high quality. Another was Bobs, 

 a yellow branned wheat from Australia, from which the present 

 Eed Bobs is a selection. Practically the only variety of the 

 earlier introductions grown to-day is Kubanka, a Durum wheat, 

 which was tested out by the Experimental Farms in 1903-4. 

 Among the first crosses made by a Fife wheat on those from 

 -N'orthern Russia were Preston, Stanley and Pluron. Of these, 

 Huron is the best; it is a red, bearded wheat well suited to 

 the Eastern Provinces and parts of Alberta and Saskatchewan. 

 In Northern Alberta, the Bishop variety has made a noticeable 

 stand; it is comparatively early, it gives an excellent crop and 

 yields a very good grade of flour. Then there is Marquis, 

 the leading w^heat of Canada, which has added enormously to 

 the value of the Canadian wheat crop. Introduced by 

 Dr. Chas. E. Saunders, Dominion Cerealist, Marquis is from 

 three to tw^elve days earlier in maturing than some other 

 varieties, and is very productive, especially on rich soils and 

 in rather dry climates. It yields excellent flour, it does not 

 readily shell out before cutting, the kernels are hard, and 

 the straw is rather short, but stiff. 



* See tins Journal. January, 1912, p. 855. 



