3-008-914 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

Hallett's pedigree nursery wheat, 1862. 'The original ear, A, was selected in 1857 from a large crop of "nursery" wheat, not because of its great size, but on account of its general uniformity and the fine quality of its grain. It contained 47 grains. The average contents of ears in ordinary crops is about 30 grains. In 1858, from this selection, one grain produced a "stool" of 10 ears, of which the finest contained 79 grains. The best stool from these 79 grains bore 22 ears in 1859, the finest of which contained 91 grains. In 1860 there were 39 ears upon the finest stool; but these, owing to the wet season, were imperfect. The grains from the best, however, produced on a stool of 52 ears, one (B) which measured 8¾in., another (C) which contained 123 grains...We have...counted 80 ears springing from one seed. This development is little short of miraculous, for, as Mr. Hallett says, "the length of the ears has been doubled, their contents nearly trebled, and the tillering power of the seed increased eightfold." And this, having been accomplished by means of selection alone, in five years, proves that the formation of a race of high-bred cereals is really a work of less difficulty and of greater satisfaction than that of animals'. From "Illustrated London News", 1862.