He observed it to be quite constant from the beginning, no
subsequent selection being needed. This important feature was simply
assumed by him to be true as a matter of course.
[112] Some years afterwards, in the summer of 1824, he observed a large
specimen of oats in one of the fields of the same farm. Being at that
time occupied in making a standard collection of oats for a closer
comparison of the varieties, he saved the seeds of that plant and sowed
them in a row in his experiment-field. It yielded the largest culms of
the whole collection and bore long and heavy kernels with a red streak
on the concave side and it excelled all other sorts by the fine
qualities of its very white meal. In the unequal length of its stalks it
has however a drawback, as the field appears thinner and more meager
than it is in reality. "Hopetown oats," as it is called, has found its
way into culture extensively in Scotland and has even been introduced
with success into England, Denmark and the United States. It has been
one of the best Scottish oats for more than half a century.
The next eight years no single plant judged worthy of selection on his
own farm attracted Shirreff's attention. But in the fall of 1832 he saw
a beautiful plant of wheat on a neighboring farm and he secured a head
of it with about 100 grains.
Pages:
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126