Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1920-03-23
AMONG THE FARMERS.
GPEEp THE PLow."
Plant Breeding Investigations.

The work carried on by the Maine
Agricultural Experiment Station In plant
breeding at both OF its experiment farms
has and is giving results of high prscti-
cal worth. Its Maine $40 oat and Its
strains of yellow eye beans are merely
conspicuous instances OF mnch of other
important results being obtained. When
at the entering Of the United States into
the world war our Doctor Surface was
granted leave of absence to take up war
work IL was his intention to come back
at the earliest possible moment and re-
sumo his Station work. But new 6elds
opened to him in connection with his
work with Mr.. Hoover and in July, 1919
to his regret and ours, be felt 1t due to
himself and family to resign from the
Station and continue the activities In
which he had become engaged during
the war, and which offered four times
the salary the Station was paying. Dur
ing all Of the months since that time the
Station management has been trying to
find suitable successor. For it was
believed that IL was far better to mark
time, though we have been able to do
much more than mark time in plant
breeding the past year, than to make q
mistake in this selection. The ideals Of
the Maine Station are high. It has bad
and has upon its staff very highly gifted
as well as specially trained Investigators.
The biologist who is to continue the
work OF plant breeding in the Station
must possess breadth of view, q thor
ough scientific training In the field of
plant breeding, knowledge of sgricul.
tursl problems and the ability to com.
bine these to the solution of the plant
breeding problems of Names agricul-
ture. While it is early to predict re-
suits it seems altogether probable that
position with Us, will fill this bill.
Mr.. Karl Sax's home Is In the central
states. Besides his education in bis
native state, he has studied in California,
Washington, Illinois and Massachusetts,.
Plant breeding problems have occupied
all Of Mr.. Sax's attention during the
time spent within these different states
Such an acquaintance with the differen,
problems of such widely separated areas
makes him especially desirable for the
plant breeding work of the Maine Sta.
ton both because OF the widely different |
varieties grown and because of the pos
sibilities OF acquiring new methods 10 |
the plant breeding problems
from contact with these different inves-
LEGATIONS.
As may be judged from the above Mr.. |
Sax has had some of the leading plant
breeders in the country as his instructors
and associates. His training in plant
hraal;nn nj "a .;dar Gala hntn-n l.a
been excellent. He brings to the biolog-
icsl work OF this Station Q thorough
grounding In the principles Of the funda.
mental sciences underlying the success
ful solution of the problems of practical
agriculture.
1t is particularly fortunate that the
work which has previously occupied
most Of Mr.. Sax's attention is practically
with that In which this Station |
Is engaged. Most of bis work has been
with the cereals and disoious trees. |
Within the cereals considerable ex-
perience has been gained in breeding
wheat, oats and barley. Some work has
been done with corn. The making of
reciprocal gratis has occupied most of
bis time In the Investigations with die
cious trees. Mr.. Sax's publications are
of especial interest iD showing his grasp
of the fundamental problems. These
include study of the fusion of the male |
and female germ cells In the formation |
of the wheat grain. The knowledge |
gained from having this important pro-
cess worked out will greatly facilitate |
the work In wheat heredity and the
sterility Of different crosses. 1t is In
TACT what the Station Is trying to work
out in Its work with apple sterility.
1t Is passing strange perhaps but may
be one important element In the success
,f the biological laboratory of the Maine
Station that the wives Of all of our biolo-
yists have been and are in and Of them
selves good Investigators, contributing |
much Stree gratis" to the work of the
Station. Mr.. Sax is no exception to this |
rule for bis wife is also q we'll traint |
and excellent worker In the field OF plant |
The Station congratulates itself and |
the state upon the apparent success in |
finding one who will, as we believe,
prove a worthy successor to the excel,
lent men who have preceded him in its |
biological department of the plant breed |
ing work, which will, under his guild |
snce, take on new virility, and the truths
found and varieties and strains developed |
in the past will only serve as stimuli for
Increased effort to make good In the |
ID. Woods, Director.