SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY. 
The Making and Improvement of 
Wheats. 
By HUGH PYE.* 
(Con'inued from page 379.) 
(III) 
VERY farmer must have noticed in every crop slight varia- 
tions in the ears, and even that some plants have stood 
better than others after boisterous weather. Other foreign 
ears are noticed, but I believe less so than is the case in 
other countries, judging by the seed obtained from them. 
Thus, in the former instance, there are opportunities given 
for selection in the manner outlined. 
‘The seed should be sown singly, if possible, in the rows of the stud 
plots. This gives better opportunities of selecting the best plants from 
the plots for next season’s sowing. 
If we take the celebrated Canadian wheat “ Marquis,” which is a 
cross between Red Fife and Red Calcutta, made twenty years ago, it 
owes its pre-eminence only to patient selection through the intervening 
years. Its weak points here are its lateness, and owing to the slight 
humidity of the atmosphere, its glumes or chaff are not sufficiently 
tough to hold its grain if the crop is left standing for the harvester. 
Mr. Seager Wheeler brought his “ Marquis” to perfection simply by 
selection, and won the 1,000 dollar prize of the United States. He was 
a farmer, and had special training in seed selection. It may be noted 
that most of the great wheats of the present day owe their origin to the 
work of the plant-breeder, the bringing of them to perfection to the 
patient work of selecting. In selecting, choose the plants well within 
the plot or field. The outside plants are often superior in appearance, 
but that is mainly due to them having more moisture and plant food 
for the roots to work over. 
ImprovEMENTS OF VARIETIES BY Farmers. 
If the farmer has not the inclination or time to select and grow the 
grain from single plants, the next best thing for him to do is to decide 
on the exact type of ear he believes is the. most prolific and suitable, 
then go through the crop and select as many ears as possible of exactly 
similar type from good healthy plants, thrash them, grade the seed to 
get rid of small and shrivelled grain, and sow after pickling in a well- 
prepared soil. Next season, continue the process of selecting from this 
plot. Be sure to grade the ‘seed well, as undoubtedly the well-matured, 
plump grain will give better returns than ungraded seed when drilled 
in under similar conditions. If it is not possible to carry out the above 
work, then heavily grade the seed of the general crop to get rid of any 
immature grain which usually is found in the ears of oe secondary 
growth. Soph ya eae : ¥ 
* Cerealist, Dookie Agricultural College. 
426 
