Varieties of Wheat ami Mi'thodx of Improving them. 257 
eluded that uo material progress has been made, but the year 
1888 was an exceptionally bad year, and the satisfactory 
character of the crop in that year is exceedingly encouraging. 
Mr. de Mornay's progress is slow, but it is genuine. 
It appears from what has been stated that new varieties of 
wheat usually owe their introduction to accident. A remark- 
able plant is found in a hedge, or elsewhere ; its discoverer pro- 
pagates it, and it proves to be a distinct variety, or at least a 
new strain. It is rare for an improver to proceed on the lines 
acopted by Mr. de Mornay, who selects year after year charac- 
teristics which he regards as desirable, and which he hopes will 
at length be found sufficiently impressed upon the plant to 
become hereditary. 
In a former article, " Improvement of the Plants of the 
Farm "' (Journal, ISSl), I mentioned various experiments in 
cross-fertilisation. Mr. Hugh Raynbird introduced and wrote 
an account of a cross-bred Avheat which obtained the gold medal 
of the Highland Society in 18 18 and a prize medal at the Great 
Exhibition of 1851. At the same Exhibition Mr. B. Maund, a 
skilful botanist, while Mr. Raynbird was and is ja, skilful agri- 
culturist and seed merchant, also showed a collection of cross- 
bred wheat. Mr. Maund unfortunately used, as one of the parents, 
cone wheat of a productive but coarse variety, not well suited to 
the object in view. Mr. Raynbird impregnated Piper's Thickset 
with pollen of the Hopetown, the former being a coarse red 
wheat, with thick clustered ear and stiff straw, very productive 
but apt to mildew, the latter having long ears and straw, and 
white grain of fine quality. The two varieties were a perfect 
contrast, and in that I'espect Mr. Raynbird proceeded on the 
same lines as Messrs. Carter have done more recently. 
As the result of the impregnation Mr. Raynbird obtained a 
few shrivelled grains, which he sowed early in the autumn, 
increasing the number of plants by division of the roots. The 
produce consisted of many kinds both of red and white wheat, 
some of the ears bearing a perfect resemblance to Piper's 
Thickset, while others partook of the character of the Hopetown 
in everything except in the colour of the chaff ; others had half 
the ear thin and open and the remainder close set, so that the 
characteristics of each kind were apparent in the same ear. 
Mr. Raynbird stated in his pamphlet on the new variety (1851) 
that its cultivation had been continued, and he added, by care- 
ful hand-picking an even sample is now obtained." Amid the 
pressing engagements of the originator the wheat was afterwards 
lost. 
In a lecture delivered before the Society of Arts Mr, John 
VOL. XXV. — s. s. S 
