Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1872-09-03
FOR THE SPECTATOR.
origin Of Whites Silver.bearded Wheat

MAJ. J. M. McCUE:
Dear SIR I'm the Autumn Of 1865
the late Prof. Thos. j. White of Messy creek,
| Augusta county, Virginia, introduced white,
| smooth wheat, and sowed it upon a stubble
where the Lancaster red-bearded had been
| reaped the previous harvest. Some heads OF
bearded thus sprang up among the smooth
| To prevent mixture of the two, the Prof, il
conjunction with the writer of this certificate
| at the next and each succeeding harvest, until
| the death of the other, passed over the field:
Of wheat, before they were cut, and culled out
all bearded heads.
In June, 1868, the writer, whilst thus en-
gagged, discovered three (3) bearded heads Of
unusual size and appearance, springlng from q
| single gerns-the largest head containing ninety
five (95) grains-the average of the three be-
ing 1851 eighty-fve. The chaff and boards
were nearly white; the grains round, plump
and white, and the most of them growing to
abreast.
The Professor attention being called to these
heads he concluded it was new variety and re-
solved to propagate it. He preserved the grains.
At the usual seed time he cast them over a
small space in the middle Of a lot he purposed
sowing with smooth wheat; set up some small
stakes to mark and define the spot and directed
his hired man not to disturb it. The man ran
and obliterated every araee, SO that until the
next harvest, it was not known that any of it
survived. At harvest the writer found num-
Der of heads from which he rubbed out seven
eights (5) Of pint. On the 4th day of Octo-
Der, 1869, the Prof made drills with beet
rake and the writer dropped the grains g to-
gether) along the drills at intervals of six in
ches. From this seeding three peeks were OBJ
tanned. La the Fall of 1870 occurred the re-
markable rainfall in the Valley of Va, and
no aoheat soaon after that time did aoeD. This
was broad cast by hand, after that event, and
the wheat was much damaged by rust in June,
1871. The product was thirteen i13) bushels.
The Prof let some of his friends have about
two bushels of it; two were sent over into Eas-
tern Virginia by mistake, and not returned til
| October 9th, 1871. 1t was sown, but SO late
that it produced but eight bushels. The re-
naming nine bushels were sown by hand, broad
cast. principally after corn, put in by colored
man with shovel-plow. Much of the land
was thin, and no manure or fertilizer of any
kind was used. This seeding was made be-
tween the 5th and 10th of October. The pro
| duct was harvested the last of June, 1872, and
measured 1873 bushels. 1t would weigh out
some or 10 bus. more. No rakings were In
Guided in this count and about bushel which
grew alongside another wheat was rejected, tc
| 160 bushels
Origin and Properties of this Wheat.
| Tt originated with Prof. White. There il
nothing else like it. 1t is beyond doubt 6
cross between the white wheat named in the
first part of this article and the Lancaster red
bearded. Tt toriginated on land recently cleared
No white bearded wheat had ever been sowr
by Prof. White. There was none in his vicin
ity. The beautiful and peculiar silver beard
the stiff straw--the round white grain-the
compact head-and very full mesh, resemble
is few days later in ripening. 1t stands the
winter well, and is not easily affected by spring
frosts. tits more prolific than any wheat knowr
| to the writer. See specimens.
Given under my hand this Oath of August
| 1872. FL. A. WHITE.
P. S.-No fertilizers have ever been used
| with this wheat.