CONTENTS
Page
I. -INTRODUCTION.......................................... 13
Present position of the Swedish experts re principles of plant
improvement (summary)................................ 15
II. —THE SWEDISH SEED ASSOCIATION (General résumé)
Aim of the Association...................................... 15
Circumstances leading up to its organization................... 15
Early Swedish Agriculture................................. 16
Experiences of Scliiibeler.................................. 16
Membership............................................... 17
Administration............................................. 17
Branch Stations............................................ 18
Funds.................................................... 18
Experimental Grounds...................................... IS
III. —THE SYSTEM OF PLANT IMPROVEMENT AT SVALOF AND
ITS DEVELOPMENT.—
The method first employed.................................. IS
Early laboratory studies.................................. 19
Final valuation ef sorts................................... 21
Results from continuous mass-selection................ 21
Introduction of the Pedigree System of Selection at Svalöf ...... 25
“Form separation” on the basis of correlations................ 27
Classification of forms into groups............................ 27
System of numbering sorts.................................. 27
Absence of hereditary variations in pedigree cultures............ 28
Theory of unit characters................................... 28
Johannsen’s pure line theory................................. 28
Early ideas of artificial hybridization......................... 30
Specialization of the work................................... 31
Correlation or the association of characters............. 31
Origin of Primus barley..................................... 36
Dangers associated with mass-selection........ 39
Stooling in grain vrs. yield and quality........................ 39
The system of exclusive ‘ form separation ’ abandoned........... 42