Saunders, Sir Charles Edward National Historic Person
London, Ontario
Dr. Charles Saunders, 1934
© Yousuf Karsh, Yousuf Karsh fonds, Library and Archives Canada | Bibliothèque et Archives Canada, Accession 1987-054, e010679106
Address :
300 Dufferin Avenue, London, Ontario
Recognition Statute:
Historic Sites and Monuments Act (R.S.C., 1985, c. H-4)
Designation Date:
1938-05-19
Life Date:
1867 to 1937
Other Name(s):
-
Saunders, Sir Charles Edward
(Designation Name)
Importance:
Developed the famous Marquis wheat at the Central Experimental Farm
Plaque(s)
Existing plaque: 300 Dufferin Avenue, London, Ontario
Born at London, educated at Toronto and Johns Hopkins, Saunders was Dominion Cerealist at the Experimental Farm, Ottawa (1903-22), and there, in 1904, developed the famous Marquis wheat which was first used by farmers in 1910. An improved variety of Marquis, introduced in 1947, bears his name. He also developed Ruby, Garnet, and Reward, wheat varieties particularly adapted to prairie conditions. His enormous contributions to agriculture were recognized in his election to the Royal Society of Canada in 1921 and in his being named as first recipient of the Flavelle Medal in 1925. He died at Toronto.