44 Bulletin No. 155 `
variety grown to a very large extent in Canada and the
Northern part of the United States.
Numerous other instances could be cited showing similar
origin of varieties of wheat. Such variations are apt to
occur in any wheat field, and the farmer of an observant
nature can easily make such selections and propagate them.
As wheat does not cross fertilize. so there is no necessity for
keeping selections isolated. A number of selections may be
tried out side by side.
Improvement by selection may be made without waiting
to find the striking variations, called sports._ Fine large
heads of good quality and high producing capacity may be
selected from any field of wheat and propagated until
suH‘icient seed is produced for general use. ·
It is not within the province of this Bulletin to take up
the question of breeding in detail. but these suggestions are
given to call attention of thoughtful farmers to the possibili-
ties for the improvement of their wheat.
Preparation of the Soil and Seeding.
The low yield of wheat in Kentucky is no doubt due much
more to the poor preparation of the seed bed than to inferior
seed. It is generally believed throughout the State that
wheat yields much better following tobacco than when
following any other crop, and that tobacco is responsible for
_ the increased yield. The evidence is not of a conclusive
nature. There is no doubt that our best yields of wheat are
gotten from tobacco fields. But consider the tobacco field
and the treatment it has received. The tobacco field is the
most fertile piece of ground on the farm. It is well prepared,
for tobacco is the money crop of the farm. It is well culti-
vated and kept free from weeds. Tobacco probably does not
require the amount of moisture that the corn crop does,
(wheat in this State usually follows corn), while the presence
of more weeds in the corn Held than in the tobacco field robs
the soil of additional moisture and plant food. The careful
preparation of the tobacco field conserves moisture and de-
_ velops more available plant food than is developed in the corn