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THE AMEBIC AN NATURALIST [Vol. LI 



any sort or kind, after the first isolation of the plant 

 which originated the variety. 



The commercial variety of oats which comes the nearest 

 nnder our conditions to equalling Maine 340 in yield and 

 other desirable qualities is one known as the Early Pearl, 

 The history of this variety has been given by Surface 

 and Barber,^^ who got it from the originator, Mr. E. L. 

 Copeland. Mr. Copeland says: 



The first seed was obtained from a bunch growing by the roadside 

 some twenty years ago, presumably from one seed. It was examined 

 and showed such merit that it was cut and preserved for seed. Although 

 the first seed was not secured by me personally, it soon after came into 

 my possession. The oat seemed to possess excellent qualities and as it 

 matured fairly early and had a pearly tint to the hull I gave it the 



Since the beginning the oat has simply been grown by 

 Mr. Copeland unmixed with other sorts. 



Here again that painstaking and laborious selection, 

 by which the practical breeder is supposed to make the 

 wonderfully improved and valuable varieties which we 

 have, is conspicuous by its absence. And one must not 

 for a moment suppose that this oat is not a wonderfully 

 superior one. Any oat which will yield, year in and year 

 out, good seasons and bad, not less than about 80 bushels 

 to the acre, and at the same time possess a whole series 

 of other desirable qualities, which are too technical to go 

 into here, is in the front rank of the products of the 

 breeder's art. We find it to be surpassed only by some 

 of our own new varieties. It outranks all other com- 

 mercial varieties under our conditions. 



Many other examples of the same sort of histories of 

 varietal origin and improvement might be given. But 

 de Vries^^ jj^g covered the ground thoroughly and we 

 need not stay longer over the plant side. The writer 

 wishes to make clear before leaving the subject the reason 

 for calling attention to these well-known matters. It is 

 to emphasize that the "experience of practical breeders" 



31 Surface. F. M., and Barber, C. W., Me, Agr. Expt. Stat. Ann. Rept. 

 for 1915, pp. 137-192. 



32 de Vries, H., "Plant Breeding." Cliicago, 1907. 



