II 41 ::,«!! lilt'!!, "lli m»y\,,: n cm /JJ./V6' ,IIIIHjl ■ill II i>'>il V ' Til ii'jil HI I f" ■HI I iiHI ii ■ lIlHIII HIIHI 'hi Hit iPI'llil SB 1 14 A^ornel. University Library The Canadian Seed Grower's association a 3 1924 000 729 420 Nput fork :g>tate (HalU^ of Agrtrulturp At CnrttfU MmtDerattg Stljara, ^. % iCtbrarg TBE CANADIAN SEED GROWER'S ASSOCIATION AND ITS WORK EVIDENCE OP ME. L. H. NEWMAN SECRETARY CANADIAN SEED GROWERS' ASSOCIATION BEPOEE THE SELECT STANDING COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE AND COLONIZATION 1911-12 Printed by Order of Parliament as advance sheets of the Committee's Final Report, OTTjAWA PRINTED BY C. H. PARMELEE, PRINTER TO THE KING'S MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY. 1912 19913—1 Cornell University Library The original of this book is in the Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924000729420 Mr. L. H. NEWMAN 2 GEORGE V. APPENDIX No. 3 A. 1912 THE CANADIAN SEED GROWERS' ASSOCIATION AND ITS WORK House of Commons^ EooM No. 34, Tuesday, February 6, 191S. The Select Standing Committee on Agriculture and Colonization met here at 11 o'clock a.m., the Chairman, Mr, Sexsmith, presiding. ' The Chairman. — ^Gentlemen, the time has arrived to open our meeting. We have with us to-day Mr. L. H. Newman, secretary of the Canadian Seed Growers' Associa- tion, who has been kind enough to come before this committee and address us upon the following points: (1) Origin of the Canadian Seed Growers' Association, (2) Organization, (3) Membership, (4) Aims, (5) Work of the Association and its rela- tion to that of the Government. It has been suggested to me that perhaps it would be well to defer disquBsion until after Mr. Newman concludes his address. If this were done, it would perhaps result in maintaining the connection and sequence of the points in the address. However, if you care to ask any very important question at any time, I presume that Mr. Newman will be, only too delighted to reply. I will now call upon that gentleman to address you. Mr. Newman. — ^Mx. Chairman and Gentleman, I am sure I need scarcely say how highly I appreciate the honour, as well as the opportunity of address'ing this committee on the work which I have been very closely associated for many years. While this is the first time I have been privileged to meet you, it is not the first time that the work of our association has been dealt with here. Our president. Doctor James W. Robertson, who yaui all know, has made frequent reference to it in previous evidences, as has also Mr. G. H. Clark seed commissioner, with whose branch we are so closely associated in the good seed movement in Canada. In view of the nature of the topic I think perhaps I might give you a more satisfactory exposition of it if you would allow me to complete what I have planned to say before opening any discussion. About twelve years ago a movement was started on the initiative of Doctor Eobertson to interest the boys and girls on Canadian farms in the matter of selection. The plan outlined took- the form of a competition which was to continue for three years, and in which each competitor was required to operate a special -seed plot, of oats or wheat as the case might be, and to select from that plot a quantity of heads or panicals from specially desirable plants. By this process of continuous selection it was hoped to effect certain definite improvement in the strains worked with and tljereby provide visible demonstrations as to the practicability of systematic work in seed selection by the farmer himself. The prizes offered in this competition were given by Sir William C. MacDonald to the extent of $10,000 in recognition of which the competition was called ' The MacDonald Seed Grain Competition.' I need not detain you this morning with details of the work of this competition. These are quite fully elaborated in previous evidences' given before this committee, as well as in the annual reports of the Canadian Seed Growers' Association. I might only mention that about 1,500 competitors participated in this contest, of which number 19913— IJ 28 SECRETARY, CANADIAN SEED GROWERS' ASSOCIATION 2 GEORGE v., A. 1912 about 450 carried on the work in all its details for the three years. The results obtained by these 450 were both surprising and gratifying. For three years, under all conditions and from all plots', there was an increase of 40 per cent in the case of wheat, and of 36 per cent in the case of oats, as regards yield. There was also a substantial increase in the weight of the grain during this special period of manipu- lation. The varieties worked with were largely the common varieties growing at the time in the country. These varieties were more or less composite in character — th^t is composed of two or more strains of varying practical value thereby presenting opportunities for effecting certain improvements by separating out strains which might be less valuable, and effecting an inclusion of those which were more desirable. In the light of our present knowledge of the laws of heredity, and of the various facts and circumstances which play a part in the production of crops, it would appear that the improvement, which was effected during this competition was due first to the fact that advantageous separations were actually made, and secondly to the con- tinous selection of seed replete with that vigor and high quality of life which is sure to reflect itself in succeeding generations. The latter factor is of course a purely physiological one andi must not be misinterpreted as implying the accumulation of hereditary variations in the ordinary sense of that term. Before passing on to consider the final outcome of this work, it might be well to pause for a few moments to consider the principles which are now recognized in the improvement of plants. Such a consideration is necessary in view of what I shall have to say later regarding the efforts which have been made to perpetuate the good work so well begun by the boys and girls. It is imperative furthermore that any system designed for the improvement of crops be founded upon sound and safe prin- ciples. Where time and money are at stake it is of the utmost importance that we know where work may be done to advantage as well as where the limits of progres- sion lie. It may be well to state at the outset that it has been our constant aim as an association to direct our work along lines which are justified by the researches of our best authorities. In order to facilitate this and to keep pace with the progress of the times in these matters, I was given leave of absence in the spring of 1910 to go abroad and study the principles and methods of plant improvement which are being recognized at the leading centres in Euj-ope but more particularly at Svalof, Sweden. Through the co-operation and good will of Mr. G. H. Clark, seed commissioner, who gave evidence before this Committee in February, 1910 regarding the general plan of work at Svalof; I was able to spend the greater part of a year in close touch with the Swedish experts. What I shall have to say to-day therefore, regarding the prin- ciples of seed improvement and high class seed production will be based largely upon the investigations of these very competent men. Those of you who have followed the progress and development in the breeding of more useful f al-ms of plants and .animals during the past few decades will remem- ber that the ideas commonly held regarding the means by which improvement might be effected in all life were, for many years, founded upon the classical researches of Charles Darwin. Darwin's work seemed to show that all life is in a continuous state of unrest, varying this way or that, and that some of these variations are hereditary in character. This being the case it seemed logical to suppose that by the selection of those advantageous variations some definite improvement might be effected in the strains worked with. It was partly upon this idea, and partly upon the idea that what was called ' vigor of growth ' in the plant is hereditary and manifests itself in succeeding generations that the system of continuouts selection of the best heads and panicles was based. During the past few years this conception of organic progression has undergone an almost complete change. While the opinions held by our leading authorities differ to some extent, it is now almost universally believed that true here- ditary variations arise in nature as a result of natural crossing. Two individuals belonging to different sorts or ' biotypes' ' as they are technically called, become THE CANADIAN SEED GROWERS' ASSOCIATION AND ITS WORK 29 APPENDIX No. 3 crossed. The ' hybred ' or combination resulting from this crossing splits up or segre- gates, in succeeding generations, leaving a greater or lesser number of different com- binations of characters which manifest themselves in new forms. According to Gre- gor Mendel, the famous Austrian Monk upon whose epoch-making investigations modern ideas of heredity are largely based, it is only necessary that two individuals differ in ten characters to produce when crossed, over one thoTisand different here- ditary combinations. In the light of this fact the variations of Darwin were nothing more or less, in most cases at least, than a manifestation of the phenomenon just described. While varieties of such crops as barley, wheat, oats and peas are believed to rarely cross fertilize, yet when, we consider the confusion that may be created when a single crossing takes place it is not difficult to account for the composite character of many of our older varieties as found in the country. Professor Bateson of Cam- bridge made the statement that had Darwin understood the Mendelian annunciation which unfortunately did not api)ear until after his time, he would have been the very first to have understood the nature of these variations which he described but failed to define. Since this reversion in the conception of variation, heredity and evolution, the system of selection generally practiced by exi)erts at Experimental Stations and else- where has come to recognize the single plant as the unit of improvement rather than the group. A large number of plants are selected. The seed from these plants is kept separate and sown in small cultures, and by a process of elimination, based upon purely empirical methods, the number of cultures is gradually reduced until only the best remains. These separate cultures are called ' pure lines ' and, in the absence of any accidental crossing, will breed true in successive generations. Since natural crossing takes place but rarely in our common cereals as already noticed, it would seem quite futile to attempt to effect any further improvement upon pure-lines by continuous selection. It might indeed seem a waste of time in such cases to devote any special attention to the quality and character of the seed used. In so far as being able to effect any definite improvement in the strain through the accumulation of hereditary variations this position would seem justified. But there are certain physiological factors which play a very important part in the production of crops and which merit the utmost attention. It is now a recognized fact, as well as a comimon observation, that seed which is perfectly matured and developed will give better results than will seed which is inferior in these respects. Such seed can be produced only on fertile soil which is in a good state of cultivation, and which is suited to the sort-grown. Under such conditions vital energy of a superior order will be stored up in the seed, and will be refl.ected in the quality, figure and extra productiveaess of the crop produced. These conditions, however, cannot always be found, to any large extent on a given farm. Indeed on many farms in Canada the areas enjoying ideal conditions are relatively few and small. This fact suggests at once the desirability of each farmer setting aside his best patch of land as a seed producing centre or plot, and that he adopt some practical system whereby the best seed from that crop, pro- duced under these conditions, may be regularly obtained. Such a plot, of course, should be of sufficient size if possible to give enough seed to sow the main crop the following year. This is a practice which is simple of operation, yet full of promise of large gains, and one which every farmer should include in his regular system of farm management in one form or another. The seed may be regarded as a larval plant drawing its nourishment from the mother. If the mother is poorly nourished the embryonic plant — the seed — will be poorly developed. This is simply a case of mal-nutrition. Such seed, it is found by experience, never develops into the best and most profitable type of plant. We have this principle exemplified in the runt of the swine litter. No matter how well this animal is fed after birth, it can never regain that which it has lost during the period of incubation. 30 SECRETARY. CANADIAN SEED GROWERS' ASSOCIATION 2 GEORGE v., A. 1912 So mucli then in favour of obtaining seed from crops grown under favourable con- ditions. There still remains something to be said in favour of obtaining the test seed from these conditions even in the case of ' pure-lines ' -which, as I have already stated seem to show practically no hereditary variation, and therefore present no opportunity for effecting any definite improvement. No matter how favourable the conditions of soil may be there are always to be found, variations induced by euvi" ronment. We find here a plant which has obtained an extraordinary degree of devel- opment. Adjoining it we find another plant which, on account of some deficiency in the necessities of life — food, air, moisture — ^has not attained the same drtgrce of devel- opment, and as a result bears seed which is poorly developed and which cannot be expected to give best results. Such seed can in many cases, be quite efficiently excluded by carefully grading and screening the bulk sample, but for maximum results both as to quality and purity of seed we still favor the system of head selection indicated. This, of course, is something which cannot be done on a large scale, but enough seed may be obtained in this way to sow a good sized culture the following year. In this simple manner, is provided a base of supply of good fseed each year. The principle involved in the selection of seed from favourable variations has nothing to do with, and must not be construed as implying, the transmission of acquired characters from one generation to another. That of course is an old and largely abandoned idea. The present principle simply recognizes that better crops may be obtained, by securing seed for each generation which is perfectly developed and matured. Subsequent neglect, on the other hand, is quite as surely reflected in a depreciation in quality as well as in decreased yields. Thus far we have been considering the practicability of the continued selection of seed from pure strains. While such strains are becoming more and more common all over the country, thanks to the good work of our Experimental Stations, there are still to be found a greater or lesser number of sorts which have been under general cultivation for a considerable length of time and which are more or less composite in character. In these eases the system of continuous selection may still be regarded capable of effecting some definite improvement by separating out the poorer strains and effecting an inclusion of the better. We 'also have such crops as corn, which naturally cross-fertilize and which, in consequence thereof continually show true here- ditary variations which, by the process I have outlined, may be turned to good account. In potatoes we have what is known as tuber variation, a type of heredi- tary variation which must not be confused with variation in the true seed. In the case of the latter crops, the old system of continuous selection may be expected to give good results. The hand-selection and hand-threshing of a few pounds of heads or panicles taken from these plots each year provides seed of a degree of purity which is hardly to be expected on many farms in Canada in view of the unusual opportunities for acci- dental mixing which now prevail. Indeed, the operation of a special seed plot by the individual farmer as a means of maintaining purity, if for no other reason, is a practice which must commend itself to all thinking people. It is recommended by experts in plant breeding who from time to time have new sorts to distribute and who recognize that constant care and attention are necessary in order that the iden- tity of such sorts may be maintained and that their true value may become fully demonstrated. From this brief consideration of the possibilities of systematic work in seed selection, it will appear clear I think, tbat there is a great deal that the farmer him- self may do on his own farm, and must do if he is to reap the full rewards of his labour. Unfortunately comparatively few farmers give anything like the attention which they should to these matters. Despite all that has been said and written regarding the great advantages, the national advantages, of the use of better seed and notwithstanding the great amount of experimental evidence which is available TBE CANADIAN SEED 0R0WER8' ASSOCIATION AND ITS WORK 31 APPENDIX No. 3 in support of tLe use of suoli seed, one has only to visit our local exhibitions, or what is more convincing, examine the grain drill on the ordinary farm at seeding time, to be thoroughly convinced that a great deal of the seed which goes into the ground each spring of a notoriously low order. The need for some definite construc- tive co-operation whereby the systematic selection of seed may become more general, and whereby the fellow who has been fortunate enough to produce seed of a high order may be discovered by the grower who is in real need of such seed, was simply demonstrated in connection with the work of the MaoDonald competition. This need was sought to be met at the end of this competition by the organization of an Asso- ciation called ' The MacDonald-BoheHison Seed Growers' Association.' The mem- bership of this Association consisted chiefly of the parents of the competitors who had learned of the great value of attention to these matters. In 1904 the name of the Association was changed to ' The Canadian Seed Growers' Association,' which name it still holds. Doctor Eobertson was appointed President, and holds that position still" Mr. G. H. Clark, Seed Commissioner, was it first Secretary, the Department at the time not being opposed to having its officers hold office in voluntary associations such as this. A rule affecting this privilege was made by the Department later, so that Mr. Clark had to relinquish his position as Secretary. At that time, 1905, I had the honour of being appointed Secretary-Treasurer. The number of members now actively engaged in the practice of seed selection under our direction is about 200, while about 500 altogether, are affiliated and doing more or less work. Our policy is to encourage as many farmers as we can to do better work than they have been doing, and out of the large number -thus interested to discover men of a high order who, as active members, exert a very wholesome and helpful influence in their community. Our experience has clearly demonstrated that many such men are to be found if we can only reach them. Latent possibilities of immense value to the community as well as to the country as a whole, are hidden away, often in the most, remote places. It is our aim to discover as many of these men as possible, and to give them such assistance and encouragement as will enable them to turn their skill and ability to the g^reatest possible use. One of the most noteworthy examples of the discovery of genius on the farm is that of Mr. Seager Wheeler of Eosthern, Saskatchewan, who won the prize of one thousand dollars in gold for the best 100 lbs. of wheat grown in North America. Mr. Wheeler won his splendid victory with Marquis wheat, a cross-bred variety originated at the Central Experimental Farm. Great credit is due those who had anything to do with the creation of this wheat, a wheat which I believe will be worth millions of dollars to this country. I have here a sample of the wheat in question and shall pass it around for your inspection. While this sort was produced at the Experimental Farm, yet had it not been for Mr. Wheeler, neither that Institution nor this variety of wheat would at this moment be enjoying the high reputation which they are enjoying. The circumstances connected with the bringing out of this wheat are set forth iii a letter received from Mr. Wheeler in answer to our letter of congratulation. He says: — Dear Mr. Newman^ — Tour kind letter gives me much pleasure. I am sure it was well worth striving for a prize like that won at New York — apart from the $1,000 in gold — to receive so many letters from all parts of the country. After the incident is forgotten I shall still have these to store up in memory. I never forget that you gave me my first lesson in the hand selection of wheat. Before that time I had been groping in the dark trying to do my best in my own way, but the short time you spent with me was as light after darkness. From that day I saw things clearer, had an ideal in view, and am glad to siay that I have noted a great improvement as regards the hand-selection of wheat. I often ponder over these things, especially when working around my plots, when I note the improvement in the types and quality of the seeds I am working on. I have ever striven for 32 SECRETARY, CANADIAN SEED GROWERS' ASSOCIATION 2 GEORGE v., A. 1912 a high quality and improvement, and llave spent many long hours during the ■winter months poring over the different types of heads to find out the best, as far as I was able ******! feel that the experience I have gained as an operating member of the C.S.G.A., leading as it has to more careful culti- vation of the soil and to the better choice of seed, has helped me to uphold the repnitation of our country as pre-eminent in wheat growing. Yours sincerely, (Signed) SEAGER WHEELER. This is fine co-operation for you. The experimental stations providing the starting point, the farmer out on the land under the expert guidance of the Canadian Seed Growers' Association giving it a fair chance. This is the principle which has been followed with such marked success in connection with the general scheme of seed and crop improvement, which obtains in Sweden. At Svalof, the centre of this movement, we find two organizations — the scientific and the commercial; the sci'entific aiming, as our experimental farms are aiming, to produce better sorts for use on farms; the commercial, which is represented in part, in this country by the Cana- dian Seed Growers' Association, aiming to give that seed the very best chance — to encourage its distribution and multiplication in the most advantageous manner. This, I believe, is a type of co-operation which must prevail in Canada if she is to uphold the high reputation in crop raising which she enjoys at the present time. We already have a number of Seager Wheelers throughout the country, although their work has not flashed up quite so brilliantly. Our aim shall be, if properly su.pported, to seek to discover more men "of this type. THE CANADIAlSr SEED GROWERS' ASSOCIATION. After this general review of the facts and circumstances leading up to the initiation of an organized effort to promote an increased interest in the matter of good seed, let us next consider the organization and system of our Association the machinery by which the principles of high class seed production are sought to be applied in practice. OKGANIZATION. The organization consists of a President, three Vice-Presidents, an Executive Council of five and a Board of Directors of twenty. The Directorate is elected from the different provinces in Canada, thus making work national in scope and far- reaching in influence. The personnel of the Directorate is worthy of note. In the first place, each Province is represented by its Deputy Minister of Agriculture. This makes for unity of action and uniformity of method. The scientific or techni- cal side of the work is represented on the Board by the leaders at our different experimental stations. We also obtain from officers of your own Federal Department of Agriculture, invaluable advice regarding the various questions which come up for solution. These officers, for technical reasons, are not allowed to occupy positions on the Board. MEMBERSHIP. The membership consists of honorary and active members. The active members are chiefly farmers who desire to apply on their farms a simple, systematic method of seed growing and selection under expert direction and advice, so that they may be able to produce from year to year a supply of seed of known origin, purity and of the highest possible quality either for their own use or for the trade. ' THE CANADIAN SEED GROWERS' ASSOCIATION AND ITS WORK 33 APPENDIX No. 3 THE WORK OF THE ASSOCIATION AND ITS RELATION TO THAT OF THE GOVERNMENT. The work of the Association may be said to be an extension of the work of that Department of the Government service known as the Experimental Farm system. The latter institutions conduct work in original research with field crops, test different varieties obtained from different parts of the world and endeavour to evolve, through a process of breeding and selection, superior sorts for use on Canadian farms. They are not, however, in a position to control the multiplication and distribution of these sorts in a large way and to the best advantage among individual farmers. This important work, we believe, can best be done by a separate and independent organiza- tion for reasons which will be quite clear to you. Were all seed of new and superior strains distributed direct to growers throughout the country without the exercise of any control whatever over its progeny in succeeding generations, the greater part would quickly lose its identity and eventually be either ruined by lack of proper care in maintaining purity or completely lost. The conservation of all that is good and useful in ' stock seed ' together with its judicious multiplication and distribution on an extensive scale and under efficient control, is therefore the main work of the Canadian Seed Growers' Association in so far as it concerns its relation to the work of our Experimental Earms and other such institutions. The Association also aims to systematize the work of seed-growing so that it may be made so simple and practical that a large number of farmers may become members and producers on their own farms from year to year. In this way is created a basis of supply of pure seed of known origin and quality which in turn is multiplied under the Association's inspection and control and made available for seeding purposes to the large farming public. FUNDS. Although this important public service is executed by a voluntary organization outside of the Government, yet on account of the value of such work to the country as a whole, together with the service which it is jwssible for such an organization to render in preventing the dissipation of improved stocks produced by experts, the necessary funds have in the past been obtained annually from the Dominion Govern- ment. Thus far we have required approximately $4,000 per annum to carry on this work, this amount being allowed from the regular appropriation of the Dominion Seed Branch. This money is expended in paying the salary of the Secretary the only officer receiving any remuneration, travelling expenses, special printing and tran- slating of special publications, prizes at District exhibitions of selected seed — we have six district exhibitions in Canada — office supples and expenses of convening the regular annual meeting. The annual report of the treasurer is given in detail in connection with the regular annual reports of the Association and shown exactly to what purpose this- expenditure is devoted. SYSTEM or SEED GROWING FOLLOWED BY THE C. S. G. A. The general system of seed growing followed by members of the Association, and which you will no doubt have already anticipated from what I have said, is briefly as ifollows : CHOICE OF VARIETY. Having decided upon the crop or crops of which it is proposed to produce seed of special quality each year the member is urged to choose with the greatest possible care the variety with which to operate. This is a matter of great importance. In 34 SECRETARY, CANADIAN SEED GROWERS' ASSOCIATION 2 GEORGE v., A. 1912 some cases this choice is not diiEcult to make. In the case of spring wheat, ' for instance there are not many varieties from which to choose. ' In oats there are greater opportunities for making a wrong choice. If the grower is uncertain as to which variety will do best on his farm, he is strongly advised to test two or three of the very best known sorts on duplicate plots for a couple of years. The great import- ance of this cannot be over-estimated as no grower can afford to work with an infe- rior or unsuitable sort. PBOCUEING OP ELITE STOCK SEED. Having decided upon the variety the next step is to procure a quantity of so- called ' Elite Stock Seed ' of that variety. By the term ' Elite Stock Seed ' is meant seed which has been specially selected in accordance with definite rules to which I shall refer later and which is regarded by the Executive of the Association to be worthy of multiplication and distribution. This seed may often be obtained from another member who has been operating for a number of years and who has a supply of such seed on hand or it may sometimes be had from an Experimental Station. Where Stock Seed can be obtained in the beginning the work of the new beginner is very much reduced and greatly simplified, as his ,iuture concern consists chiefly in conserving the purity and the good qualities of that seed and in multiplying it under the inspection and direction of the Association. Where this seed is not avail- able, the grower must produce it himself. This may be accomplished by operating each year a special seed plot of the chosen variety and selecting therefrom a suffi- cient quantity of typical heads, panicles or pods as the case may be to give enough seed — 'hand-selected seed' — ^to sow another plot the following year. After three or four years of careful selection there should ordinarily be produced a stock of seed of sufficient purity and quality to entitle it to be ranked as ' Elite Stock Seed.' This practice ordinarily assumes the presence of more than one strain within the mother variety and implies the desirability of eliminating all but that or those which promise best. This system of selection is known as the system of mass-selection, and has been specially devised for the practical farmer who seldom has time to uncfer- talce the more complicated and exacting methods. The ' hand-selected seed ' obtained in the above manner is, in the case of cereal# and small seeds, threshed by hand and every precaution taken to keep it pure and to use only the best of that seed the following year. Following the production of ' Elite Stock Seed ' tiie special seed plot must not be abandoned, but must be continued each year as a means first of effecting still further improvements in the case of composite varieties and in such cross-fertilizers as corn, and secondly of maintaining the purity and quality of the sort and thus providing a base of supply of pure seed of high vital energy each year. This plot may be handled and controlled in a manner which is quite impossible with the laro-er field areas and herein lies its main advantage. Since different classes of agricultural plants are considered by the Association, the system of handling the seed plot and of selecting seed in the case of each class differs to some extent. In regard to their means of reproduction, four main classes of agricultural plants may be distinguished as follows: (a) those in which the seed is normally produced by the self-fertilization of the flower; E.G. — ^wheat, oats, barley, pease and beans, (h) Those in which natural cross-fertilization between individual plants is the common rule E. G. corn, rye and the different grasses, (c) Those in which cross-fertilization between different individuals is obligatory E.G. red clover. (d) Those which are reproduced in a vegetative way, E. G. the potato. The method by which ' Elite Stock Seed ' may be produced in the case of each of these- classes is outlined in detail in a special booklet for the use of beginners, and which is avail- able for distribution to those who wish to look further into the matter. TEE CANADIAX SEED GROWERS' ASSOCIATION AXD ITS WORK 35 APPENDIX No. 3 QUALIFICATION OF ELITE STOCK SEED. When the grower has obtained a quantity of stock seed his chief concern, as indicated a moment ago, will consist in multiplying this seed so as to maintain its purity and quality. This requires soil which is fertile, in good state of cultivation and free from noxious weed seeds. These conditions are imperative where the grower intends offering a quantity of seed for sale for seeding purposes. This phase of the seed question has been found not the least difficult to control. No matter how careful the grower may be it is only thjough eternal vigilence that weed growth may be kept in dieck, and that the high qoiality and purity which is desired in seed may be maintained. An important precaution which our growers are strongly advised to observe is to limit the number of varieties grown on the farm. The growing of more than one variety of any one kind of crop on the same farm is a practice which the association discourages as much as possible. A practice which the association recom- mends in connection with the harvesting of cereal grains is to have some one go ahead of the binder and pluck out all impurities which may be found within the width of the swarth. No matter how careful the grower may be, impurities in one form or another are almost bound to come in. This plan of ' rouging ' the field, as it is called, obviates the necessity of trampling the crop. All seed grain for seeding purposes shoxild be allowed to mature thoroughly, experimental evidence going to show, as already indicated, that such seed is much more valuable than seed which is only partially matured. The harvesting of grain at the proper time is, therefore, an important consideration and one in which the association seeks to influence in the desired direction. REGARDING THE REGISTRATION OF SEED. Seed which has been grown and handled in accordance with the rules of the association and which has passed the required standards, may be accepted for regis- tration in the records of the association, and may, in due time, be entitled to receive certain public recognition in the shape of certificates of registration. Two clasess of certificates are issued. The first is for ' Elite Stock Seed,' and the second is "for the product of such seed up to and including the third generation descended there- from. All seed belonging to the latter category is designated ' registered seed.' The certificate for ' Elite Stock Seed ' certifies that the said seed has been produced in accordance with the regulations of the association and indicates in each case, the origin of the seed, and the extent to which it has been selected. The certificate for so-called ' Eagistered Seed ' likewise certificates that the seed has been grown accord- ing to regulations and that it has been recorded ' Registered Seed ' a certain num- ber of generations descended from ' Elite Stock Seed.' I have here the standards fixed for ' Registered Seed ' which perhaps I may pass over now as these are published in the booklet to which I have referred a moment ago. THE COMMERCIAL HANDLING OF ' REGISTERED SEED.' In the commercial handling of 'Registered Seed' the Association exercises the greatest possible care in ensuring genuineness and purity of the seed offered. This is accomplished in the following ways. First, by having the growing crop inspected before harvest, by an expert. Secondly, by requiring the grower wTio intends offering a quantity of seed for sale, to submit a representative sample of such seed fcr analysis in the seed laboratory; thirdly, by having the contents of each package or sack offered for sale inspected before shipping by an expert who compares the contents of each sack or package with the official sample previously sent in and tested. Fourthly, by attaching to each package or sack offered for sale, and which 36 SECRETARY, CANADIAIV SEED GROWERS' ASSOCIATION 2 GEORGE v., A. 1912 has qualified for registration as Registered Seed, a special tag indicating tbe indenity of the contents of the sack and the number of the registration certificate. This tag ■also bears the grower's certificate over his signature as Well as the signature of the inspector whp confirms the information given and checks the genuineness and purity of the seed in each sack. By means of coupons attached to these tags we are able to trace all this seed wherever it may go. Finally by having the above sacks sealed by the inspector with a metallic seal bearing the name of the Association; in this way seed may go through any number of hands, may pass through the hands of seed dealers for that matter, and retain its identity so long as" the seal remains intact. INSPECTION OP SEED. The work in seed inspection is done chiefly by the district representatives of the Dominion Seed Branch in connection with their regular work. Such work is con- sidered by the Department as providing eixceptional opportunities for rendering valuable service in giving individual instruction in the growing and handling of high class seed. It is a work which requires ability, integrity and a high sense of duty since the registration of all seed depends upon actual field inspection as well as ugon records of quality as determined by analysis of the finished product in the laboratory. Many of our growers are graduates of agricutural colleges and are therefore men of special training. This fact renders the work of the Seed Branch officers very exacting in that they must be men of outstanding acadtemic training as well »a possessed of long experience in the intricacies of crop raising and seed improvement. Such men are not common and the Association is to be congratulated in having the services of men who rceasure up so closely to the high requirements of this woric. THE SEED CATALOGUE. All seed which is grown according to the regulations and which has passed the necessary inspection of the association is, if offered for sale, listed in a seed catalogue issued by the association and distributed widely throughout Canada. Copies of this catalogue were sent you this week. This catalogue contains, among other things, a statement of the total quantity offered and the price asked per pound. By this arrangement purchasers are able to locate the fellow with the good seed to the mutual benefit of both. All classes of people who buy seed are coming to recognize the value of seed which has been grown and handled ac6ording to the rules of our association and are looking more and more to us for information as to where this seed may be had. Some of our large seed dealers purchase considerable quantities from our members at prices which are mutually satisfactory. It frequently happens that a member prefers to sell his entire stock of seed to a single buyer and accept a lower price rather than to bother retailing in small lots. That is a practice which is not discouraged by the association, On the contrary we welcome any and every agency which either directly or indirectly is influential in bringing seeds of superior quality and purity into more general use throughout the country. We require each yeax in Canada about 40,000,000 bushels of seed to sow the areas devoted to our ordinary farm crops. It is of the utmost importance both to the individual as well as to the nation that as much of this seed as possible be of a high order. As we ponder over the possible influences of work such as I have outlined, scat- tered as it is over all parts of our land, the whole matter opens up on one, revealing avenues of progress which at first were scarcely suspected. We recall wi^i satis- faction the pride taken by our members in their work; the added knowledge and appreciation of the virtues and peculiarities of the strains they are working with. All this tends to abate an all too frequent tendency among farmers to periodically THE CANADIAN SEED GROWERS' ASSOCIATION AND ITS WORK 37 APPENDIX No. 3 cliange varieties and even the seed of those varieties, and induces them to concentrate their best efforts on what they have. The mere practising of a definite system in regard to one thing has also a wholesome and helpful influence upon the general farm life of a member, and is bound sooner or later to expand and spread so as to afi'eet other phases of his farming operations as well as those of the community generally. The added interest given to farm life through the acquisition of increased know- ledge of fundamentals and through the special facilities provided for their exploita- tion must constitute an important factor in steming the tide from the country to the city. It will therefore be readily seen I think that the association may justly be regarded as not only occupying an important place in the general scheme of crop improvement in Canada, but as constituting an influential and patent factor in the agricultural life of this country. I thank you gentlemen for yoiir attention. The Chairman. — ^Are there any questions now that the members would like to ask Mr. Newman? By Mr. BoU: Q. When you were talking of wheats, I understood you to say that in the west it would not make much difference what variety of wheat was used? A. I did not wish to imply that. I said that while important, the choice of variety, in the case of spring wheat, can be much more easily made than in the case of certain other crops such as oats, -in view of the limited number of varieties from which to choose. In the west it is of the utmost importance that a careful choice be made of the variety of wheat to grow in a grain district. One of the great needs of the west has been for an early variety, and that is one of the virtues of this Mar- quis wheat which you have examined. This wheat, according to Dr. Saunders also stands quite high in quality. Q. How much earlier is it? A. It is found to run from four to twelve days earlier than Red Pife depending upon the season. It promises to be one of the best wheats, probably the best wheat, that has ever been produced in Canada. Q. And has all the good qualities? A. .According to Dr. Saunders the main points "in favour of this variety are its earliness in ripening, productiveness, strength of straw, fine rich red clover and baking strength of the flour produced. By Mr. Sinclair: Q. Has your department anything to do with the seed that is distributed to the farmers ? A. No. Q. Who has charge of that? , A. The free distribution of seed is done by the Experimental Farm. Our work is to assist the farmer in making the best usei of what he gets. By Mr. Boll: Q. You say we require 40 million bushels to sow a crop in Canada. Do you con- fine yourself to grain? A. Wheat, oats, barley, pease, com and potatoes. Q. Flax? Q. It does not include flax. By Mr. Sincladr: Q. Does seed wheat which is affected by frost make it unsafe to use as seed? A. We find that wheat may be affected by frost and still germinate well; if badly affected it may still give a fairly high percentage germination, but it is not likely to develop as vigorous or productive a plant as it otherwise would. If the 38 SECRETARY, CANADIAN SEED GROWERS' ASSOCIATION 2 GEORGE v., A. 1912 spring be wet and cold seed which is badly afiected by frost may fail to germinate. If it grows at all it may produce a poorly developed plant. By Mr. MacNutt: Q. What would be the effect of smuts? A. For seeding? Q. Yes. A. Any agency which tends to reduce the plumpness or to impair the develop- ment of the seed is almost bound to effect its value for seeding purposes.. By Mr. Boll: Q. Do you recommend any treatment for s«eds affected by rust? A. We have found no remedy for rust, but smut can be effectively treated. The loose smut of oats for example, is treated with formaline, about one pint of formaline being required for every forty gallons of water. This solution is sprinkled upon the seed which is placed in a pile on the floor. By shoveling and turning the seed all the kernels become thoroughly soaked. After standing for fourteen or fifteen hours grain should be stirred and allowed to dry thoroughly before sowing. This has been found a very effective preventative against smut. You know pretty well, I presume, the blue-stone treatment for the ' bunt ' or stinking smut of wheat. By Mr. MacNuit: Q. Is Formaline all right for wheat? A. It does some good but is not so effective as blue-stone which is the pervent- ative commonly used. By Mr. Steele : Q. Would this Marquis Wheat do in Ontario? A. I think it would, but there is not sufficient evidence yet to show whether it is superior for Ontario conditions to other sorts grown. By Mr. Sinclair: Q. Is it available? A. The supply of really good Marquis is rather limited this year. There seems to be a very great demand for it, but some may still be obtained. We have a large number of growers in the west taking up the growing of Marquis wheat under our supervision. We will endeavor to conserve the identity and all that is good in that wheat, and make it available in large quantities from year to year. By Mr. Steele: Q. Suppose a farmer in my riding wishes to procure some of that wheat men- tioned in the circular, how would he go about it? A. We receive many such enquiries by correspondence. The course taken is to send such parties our catalogue in which full directions are given. They are advised to communicate direct with the growers and to place their orders with them, the association simply acting as a medium of communication. People apply directly to us for this information and we make every effort to supply that information. By An Hon. Member: Q. Have you a French edition of that catalogue? A. Yes. By Mr. Steele: Q. It it distributed widely among the farmers? _ _ A. Yes, the secretaries of agricultural societies and other similar institutions receive copies. Notice is also given through the press. We have catalogues this year THE CANADIAN SEED GROWERS' ASSOCIATION AND ITS WORK 39 APPENDIX No. 3 * about half a million pounds of ' Eegistered Seed,' which will be handled in the man-' ner I have indicated. We have also listed about the same quantity of seed which ia not yet entitled to Registration but which is in the process of making. When these different lots accompanied as they are by explanatory tags go out all over the country, T think we are likely to interest a considerable number of farmers in this work* We have on the back of the tag the following ' Notice to Purchasers ' : — ' Purchasers of this seed who wish to take up the growing of ' Registered Seed ' on their farms, or who desire special information regarding the production of high class seed, should communicate with the Secretary of the Canadian Seed- Groweffs' Association, Canadian Building, Ottawa. In all cases the number of the Certificate issued for the seed purchased (see opposite side) should be spec- ified as it may be possible to use this seed to advantage as foundation stock.' The men who get this seed retain the tags which accompany it as a means of pro- tection against any dispute as to the identity of the seed they have purchased. Our system enables us to trace the different lots. By ihe Hon. Mr. Burrell: Q. Have you any information as to the acreage sown to this improved wheat or as to the results in earlier ripening before maturing? A. We have no definite results or information. We find in general that the men who have been providing suitable conditions for this seed have been vastly more suc- cessful in obtaining seed which is perfectly matured before frost, and which is better developed and more suitable for seeding purposes as well as for commerce. By Mr. Thornton: Q. Do you know the yield of this wheat? A. According to Mr. Wheeler's own estimate it yielded 80§ bushels, but of course that is on the basis of a small plot. It would hardly be safe to say what the actual yield would he for a large area, but it would be remarkably large. Q. And this is the regular crop come to maturing this year? A. Yes, this is this year's crop. Mr. Wheeler has done remarkable work in. the growing of seed. I discovered him five or six years ago. He had been writing very intelligent letters to us, and when in the west I visited him. It would he hard to estimate the influence of a man like Wheeler in his community. Q. It ought to be a great object lesson to other farmers? A. Yes, especially in view of the fact that it is not the work of a Government institution in any sense; it is simply that of a man applying up-to-date practical methods on his own farm. By Mr. Bolh : Q. You would not give all the credit to the seed itself; Mr. Wheeler would have his soil well prepared? A. Yes, indeed. Q. That would be one of the great advantages of an object lesson like that? A. That would be one of the great advantages; these men provide the conditions which are necessary in order that seed may do the best it is capable of doing. By the Hon. Mr. Burrell: Q. What is Mr. Wheeler's profession, training and record? A. He is an Englishman. Q. Has he had a long training on the farm ? A. No, not very long. He started I think about twelve or fifteen years ago, badly in debt. Q. Did he know anything of farming? 40 SECRETARY, CANADIAN SEED GROWERS' ASSOCIATION 2 GEORGE v., A. 1912 A. Not very much I believe. Q. Where did he come from? A. From the Isle of Wight. Q. Had he done any farming there? A. Not that I know of. Q. It is an interesting object lesson indeed? By Mr. Thornton: Q. Is that the original of the letter he sent? A. Yes. Q. It is very significant that he says, — 'Before that time I had been groping in the dark, trying to do my best in my own way, but the short time you spent with me was as light after darkness.' A. Yes. Q. You say the same thing? A. Yes, that is one very striking feature in all our work. We find a great many men who, if they had .iust a little assistance, would do very excellent work. This is Preston, (displaying sample of grain) a sort with which Mr. Wheeler has done excellent work. This sort is a cross between Eed Fife and Early Ladoga made by Dr. Saunders and which has given very good results. It is earlier than Eed Fife but it is not liked by the millers as a rule, on account of the colour of the flour, a difficulty that Marquis seems to have overcome. Marquis is also a bald wheat not having these undesirable awns, and is very much preferred on that account. By Mr. Thornton: Q. Was the crossing which produced Marquis done here? A. Yes. By Mr. MacNutt: Q. Is this sort liable to go down in the straw? A. No, Marquis is very fair in that respect. Mr. Wheeler is also growing barley and oats. Q. What varieties? A. Ligowo oats and No. 21 barley. The oat sort was produced in Franoe about fifty years ago. It is a very good sort of oats, one of our best in fact. Q. It was originated fifty years ago, you say? A. Yes and has not shown amy material change since. This sort has been oper- ated with ,at Svalof, Sweden for a number of years. Efforts were made to produce ^n awnless variety of Ligowo oats by selecting only awnless individuals. It was found however that the individual instances of awnless types were the result purely of environment, and the next year they returned to the awned type. We brought out a pure stock of this variety from Sweden last spring and had it grown under contract for selling in small quantities to people who are growing Ligowo and want to start with a pure stock as members of our association. Q. Is the Banner a good variety? A. Yes, it is one of the best varieties and one which seems to thrive well over a surprising range of conditions. Ligowo, if grown on rich or rather moist soil, will (perhaps do cfuite as "well but on lighter soil it does not do quite so well. By Mr. Tholurn: Q. Suppose I want a bushel or two bushels of this pure Marquis wheat, what guarantee have I that I am getting what I pay for? A. According to our system all seed offered is inspected in the field and passed upon by our experts who take very careful notes regarding purity, genuineness, vigor, colour, freedom from weeds and diseases, &c. The acreage and probable yield are also THE CANADIAN SEED GROWERS' ASSOCIATION AND ITS W<^RK 41 APPENDIX No. 3 noted. All this information is sent to our office, and later the grower reports the ^number of bushels he has to sell. This statement is compared with that sent in by the inspector. The grower is also required to send in a representative sample of what he is offering. This is carefully inspected, analyzed, and tested for vitality. Finally the grower is asked to sack his seed and to prepare for the inspector who returns to the grower's farm, taking with him a small portion of this official' sample. This he compares with the contents of each sack in order to verify the genuineness of the latter. All seed offered is very carefully examined for weed seeds and other impurities, high standards being fixed by the association for the registration of seed. As a last duty the inspector attaches a tag to each sack and puts on a seal. The seed is then shipped to the purchaser. By this arrangement an almost absolute guarantee is given. We have taken the best out of the system followed in Sweden and have vdeveloped a system^ which I think will work quite satisfactorily. We have done some very interesting work in corn. This (producing an ear of corn) is a type of corn called Beid's Yellow Dent which was obtained in Iowa six or seven years ago and which has been grown in Western Ontario to some considerable extent since that time, especially in Essex County. While very productive in some places I believe there are other sorts which are rather better for most districts. Wis- consin No. 7, for instance, as well as certain other sorts are very promising just now and are being worked on. By Mr. Elliot: Q. Will that (Eied's) mature in central Ontario? A. No, not with certainty outside Essex County. It does fairly well for silo purposes however, further north. Q. What is the yield in Essex County? A. Fully 100 bushels and even more sometimes of shelled corn. Q. Which do you consider the better varieties for silo purposes? A. For what part? Q. For Ontario? A. It will depend of course a great deal where you are situated. Q. I am from Middlesex County? A. A type of corn which does remarkably well in Middlesex is what is known as 'White Cap Yellow Dent. This is a dent corn and one of the varieties of com from which you will get a large amount of feeding value per acre. Of course there are m:any other good sorts. We have Barley, Early Learning and other early dents which give very fair results. Q. Would it mature in Middlesex County? A. I scarcely think so, it is a late corn and requires a longer season to mature perfectly. Q. Does not the southern corn give better results for stock? A. Corn from the Southern States do you mean ? Q. Yes. A. Southern corn is likely to be too late to reach a sufficiently advanced stage of maturity to make good ensilage. It gives a large production of fodder but which is of rather poor quality for silo purposes. We are trying to discourage in this country as far as possible the purchasing of seed corn from the United States. We believe Canadian grown seed is likely to to be better suited for our conditions. Q. What com would you recommend us to use in Ontario for silage purposes? A. In eastern Ontario if the soil is light early maturing Dent varieties do fairly well. Some of our large growers however prefer to use flint varieties. Q. Is that the corn which is generally used in eastern Ontario? A. Yes. A sort which is very promising for use as ensilage in the later districts is this Wisconsin No. 7. Mr. Grisdale has obtained a quantity of pure stock of that 19913—2 42 SECRETARY, CA^\lDIA^' .SEED GROWERS' ASSOCIATIOy 2 GEORGE v., A. 1912 variety from one of our Western members and will conduct field trials with it in certain centres. In this way he hopes to obtain valuable information. Q. Some of the corn growers' in Middlesex are arguing that there is a greater percentage of sugar in the southern corn than in some of the other varieties, do you consider that they are right in that contention or do you prefer the other varieties for stock? A. I can recall no experimental evidence in support of the contention that southern grown seed will give a Superior crop foa: feeding purposes. In my opinion the reverse is the case. By Mr. Staples: Q. What variety of winter wheat is grown in the west? A. The winter wheat area is limited very largely, as you know Mr. Staples, to. Southern Alberta and to Northern Manitoba. Q. They are successful in growing it up around Swan river? A. Yes, I prepared a report four or five years ago on the growing of winter wheat in that district. Since my visit to Sweden I am very miich more hopeful of success in the cultivation of winter wheat in Canada. They have done remarkable work in Sweden in evolving types which survive the severity of the winter and early spring conditions of that country. I believe there is a future for that class of wheat in Manitoba. Q. It has also been successfully cultivated on the bald prairies. Mr. Bunnell of Culross near Elm Creek has for three years experimented there and he has had three successful crops. I think, if I am right in my figures that the first crop he had, that is three years ago, averaged about 40 bushels to the acre ; the following year he had somewhere around 30 to 40 bushels, and last year, I was there while he was threshing, he had 39 bushels to the acre. He is now going into it on a fairly large scale, he has a block of 40 acres. A. What variety? Q. The Turkey Red. A. Does it stand up well with him ? Q. Oh splendidly. A. That is the weakness with Turkey Red in Ontario, it is very weak in the straw. In that respect it is not nearly so good a variety here as some of the other sorts, such as Imperial Amber. Q. There is no doubt in my mind if Mr. Bunnell follows that up he will be suc- cessful. The Chairman. — I am sure the members of this committee have enjoyed the address which Mr. Newman has given us on this important subject. We hardly appreciate sometimes the importance of it, but I may say on behalf of this association that in my district we have had the advantage of having at different times during the last six or seven years some one connected with this AssociatioiS coming to speak to us through our Farmers' Institutes and Agricultural Societies and Farmers' Clubs, of which there are two or three in the riding. I notice that the farmers in the last five or six years are taking a greater interest in the matter of pure seed, and bulletins are sent out by this association which are of great benefit. The farmers are ' -jcoming alive to the importance and helpfulness of such an Association. I do not know that there is any further business and if there are no further questions the committee will adjourn. Committee adjourned. Certified correct: L. H. NEWMAN. II 'W II III I 'II i-HJI 'if I iijV I'lilll iiiimJ \,fi 1,1 ■!!|l| •f ■n < I'll imHI il'-li 1 l" 'm