Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1900-06-28
GOOD SEED WHEAT PAYS.
G. B. Hoffman Tells What Careful
Culture Does.

Culture Does.
ENTERPRISE, June &C. B. Hoff.
man has given much study to the
importation and testing Of seed wheat.
The result Of experiments are Of inter-
est. They were given to a reporter
today as follows: "Ten or fifteen
years ago the farmers Of this county
were growing soft wheat altogether.
In 1888 the Russian Mennonites, who
immigrated from the Crimea to the
counties west Of here, brought with
them variety Of hard winter wheat
known as Red Russian, and planted it
on their farms. In the course Of time
much Of this wheat came here to our
mill to be ground. l discovered at
once its excellent qualities and its
superiority over the soft wheat that
was grown here then. This new
variety made flour that was really
superior to that made from the wheat
grown IN the Northwest.
"a test of the relative merits Of flour
made from Red Russian wheat and
other kinds was made recently at a
meeting in Kansas City Of the opera.
tive millers. The tests were made
by expert millers. Minnesota wheat,
Missouri wheat and Red Russian
wheat, grown in this county, were
used. The result was Missouri flour
95, Minnesota flour 100, Kansas flour
1902.
"Four years ago we imported
fresh batch Of the seed from Russia
and sowed it on our farm. The yield
the first year was S43 bushels to the
acre, the second year, 81 bushels; the
third year, which was last year, IS
bushels. We are importing now 100
bushels more Of this seed and will SOW
it this summer, and expect to harvest
$500 bushels from it next year. We
will not sell any seed wheat from our
farm this year, because the seed has
run down and become mixed with rye.
1.-THE great trouble with most Of
the farmers Of this county, and sup
pose with the majority Of farmers
elsewhere, is that they do not pay
enough attention to their seed wheat.
A farmer ought to take the same
pains in breeding up his seed wheat
as he would in breeding cattle. II
the same wheat is grown year after
year on the same land it is bound to
deteriorate in quality and become
mixed with rye, and then the farmer
because his crop is dimin-
ishing year after year, when, as a
matter Of fact, all that Is needed is
careful attention in the selection OF
seed. Seed that is pure may be sowed
This year and there will be only few
spears Of rye in it. But the rye
ripens before the wheat and shells
,ut on the ground and comes up the
next year as volunteer rye. The con.
sequence is that this farmers wheat
s soon so mixed with rye that he is
docked' for that reason when be
;akes his wheat to mill.
Every farmer who grows wheat
Ihould set aside small field in which
10 grow his seed wheat for the next
year. He should see that it Is kept
'lear Of rye and weeds, and he ought
20 winnow the the wheat carefully,
selecting the largest grains for seed,
md occasionally he should get fresh
'upply Of imported seed. The farm
,r who does this will make money by
t, and bis wheat crop will be third
arger than bis neighbor who does
lot observe these precautions.
"The trouble with most OF the
wheat in Dickinson county this year
S that there is rye in it, and the
armers will find when they sell their
wheat this year that they will be
locked because Of the rye.
at ,,.n1o . ts;,, ~ ro,,h th;. oo,,t,