A BREEDING PROGRAM OF SMALL GRAINS TO MEET THE 
CHANGING NEEDS OF SOUTHERN AGRICULTURE 
By George J. Wilds 
Our Small Grain Breeding Program started 
forty years ago this spring when the first 
plant selections were made in a Red Rust 
Proof field of oats. These were put in plant- 
to-row test that fall by the writer. 
From this small beginning, the program 
has expanded until today it is probably (so 
our USDA friends tell us) the most extensive 
being planted in any one place in the United 
States. 
We have been criticized by some for spend- 
ing so much money on a crop, the importance 
of which apparently did not warrant the out- 
lay, however, our company was established to 
serve Southern Agriculture. Productive, well 
adapted, disease resistant small grains were 
needed if the South was to develop a balanced 
agriculture with proper emphasis on live- 
stock, feed, food, and money crops. We also 
needed the soil building which this program 
allowed. 
STRIVING FOR AN IDEAL 
We inaugurated this program, determined 
to breed that perfect variety of each small 
grain with which we were working. We, like 
Merlin, have followed the gleam, shooting 
for perfection—knowing full well that this 
could never be attained, but sparing neither 
expense nor hard work in striving for that 
ideal. 
Our customers have been good to us. They 
have advised, worked with and encouraged 
us in every way. They have bought our seed 
and constructively criticized varieties, ma- 
terial and methods. Our Federal and State 
Specialists have given generously of their ma- 
terial, time and interest. 
With such backing and long experience, it 
is not surprising that we have been able to 

+ TABLE OF 
Page 
Views of our Small Grain Breeding Work 2 
Breeding Program of Small Grains to Meet 
the Changing Needs of Southern Agri- 
culture—by George J. Wilds______.____- 3-5 
CokeremVictoreraineOats, 22 28) eae 6-7 
Gokemsabulorainy © dtse ae 8-9 
breed many good 
varieties; varieties 
that have met the 
demands of the 
grower and proc- 
eSsor; varieties 
especially adapt- 
ed for growing in 
the cotton belt; 
varieties able to 
meet and _  over- 
come the hazards 
of disease and ad- 
verse climatic con- 
ditions as_ they 
arose. 
As stated, our 
initial work was 
with the Red Rust Proof oats. For twenty 
years, we worked both intensively and ex- 
tensively with this oat, and succeeded in 
breeding and introducing a number of very 
uniform, highly productive strains—one of 
which (R.B. 22-55) went into Hastings 100 
Bushel. Seed stocks were bought from us by 
Mr. H. G. Hastings with the full understand- 
ing that it was to be used for this purpose. 
VICTORGRAIN—A MONUMENT 
But, Red Rust Proof with all our efforts, 
did not furnish the answer, and this oat was 
eventually replaced in our breeding program 
by Fulghum; the Fulghums later by the cold 
resistant Nortons; the Nortons by the cold 
and smut resistant Coker 32-1, 33-47, and 
Fulgrains. These likewise were soon replaced 
by the striking highly productive, cold, smut, 
and rust resistant Victoria derivatives such 
as Rust Resistant Fulgrains, Stanton, and last 
but not least—Victorgrain which in our opin- 
(Continued on page 5) 

DR. GEORGE J. WILDS 
President 
Coker’s Pedigreed Seed Company 
CONTENTS + 
Page 
Reports From Our Customers __......-_- 10-11 
COKeCtEAS-O (LO ats a eee ee 12-13 
CokeressstantonsOatss.. eee = ee eee 14-15 
Coker so lardireds W heatierea ee 16-17 
COoKeris Red harte W Nes tee eee eee 18 
OUTAVISILOTS SAL eas ee oe ee 19 
Page Three 
