Hayes and Garber - Cucurbit Breeding

IMPROVING SELF-FERTILIZING CROPS 137
progeny of cross-bred wheats. The progeny from the cross
made by A. P. Saunders was found to differ strikingly in gluten
content of seeds. The laborious practice of chewing a small
sample of each pure line was made the basis of selections. One
of the high-gluten selections isolated from this mixture of types
was named Marquis. It was first grown as a pure form in 1904
and the bread-making tests made in 1907 fully established its
bread-making qualities. In addition to this character it is early
ripening, thus often escaping rust, has stiff straw, high yielding
ability, distinctive appearance of seed, and remarkably wide
adaptations. These qualities have made it popular among the
farmers in the spring wheat belt.
FIG. 28. Minhardi, Minn. 1505. Grown in 1918. This variety is very
winter-hardy.
Winter Wheat Breeding at the Minnesota Agricultural Experiment
Station. One of the most urgent needs in order to bring
about the successful production of winter wheat in Minnesota
is a strain which will withstand the severe winters. This ideal
has more or less been the goal of breeding operations from the
first. Yield and quality also have been given considerable
attention. Before attempting crossing, varieties were obtained
from all over the world. Odessa, an awnless, red-chaffed
variety of Russian origin, has proved most winter-hardy, although