The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1903-11-15
MACARONI WHEAT.
BY Prof Jas. H. Shepard, South Dakota e.
pertinent Station.

portant characteristics to recommend
it to growers, otherwise it would have
progressed more slowly. Some or the
more prominent of these character
istics are it's hardness, superior yield
ing qua ities and resistance to rust and
smut and drouth. All these make 1t
a surer crop than ordinary Wheats.
At the same time macaroni wheat has
its limitations. 1t does not flourish
to it's full capacity where the rainfall
as a rule is abundant during the grow
ing season. 1t is true that it will
grow in such localities, but it is apt to
suffer diminuLion in is protein con-
tent and in those characteristics which
render it valuable in it's own sphere.
AS with all new crops whose proper
ties and characteristics are not well
understood, there are many erroneous
ideas atloat IN regard to macaronl
wheat. In the first pace, it is not
generally known that there are many
varleues OF macaroni wheat. Nor is IL
known that these varieties dlfer
whey from each other In their essen
tial characteristics. Some need much
moisture, While others de.eriOra.e un-
der The same conditions. Some are
thick-sKinned and others are thin.
Some make large yields OF Hour whlle
others give large per cent OF refuse
in milling. 1t is safe to say that there
are a greater number OF VarletleS Oh
macaroni wheat tnan there are OF
bread WheaLS now in CULTIVATION IN
this country. While The writer mas
been advanJageously situated to make
an early acquaintance with these oil
ferent varieties, space will not per-
nit an enumeration in this place;
but a compete record will be given
in bulle,ln now nearly ready for pub
1caion by the Sou,h Dakota station.
During this WORK, however, 1t has be-
come apparent that the southern or
Mediterranean macarOnl WheatS diner
markedly from the northern or Rus
sian varieties. Again these TWO xmas
differ from the macaroni wheat grown
in Africa and South America. 1t has
become apparent that the RUSSIAN
varieties are the most valuable KINDS
for the Northwest. When these things
are taken into consideration it is not
strange that one meets with cont1lct-
ing sta ements and with results that
are apparently irreconcilable.
The better varieties, such as the
Kubanka, Velvet Don, Arnautka and
Yellow Gharnovka are richer in pro-
tein than bread wheats when grown
under propitious conditions. The pro-
tein content will vary, however, when
these wheats are grown with an excess
of moisture which lends towards dim
unition. In short just as our ordinary
bread wheats vary from year to year
owing to climatic influences, so Will
the macaroni wheat vary. The mac
aroni wheats delight in abundant sun
shine and a limited rainfall. In fact
the macaroni wheats will make good
crop where bread whea,s will perish
for lack of moisture.
When it comes to milling, the yield
of -four varies greatly, depending upon
the variety and upon the conditions
under which it is grown. For example
the best variety of Kubanka, No. 5639,
gave yield of straight flour OF "a per
cent. An average of four samples gave
72.5 per cent straight flour. Ten sam
pies, including the above and o,her
importations of Kubanka which were
decidedly inferior to No. 5639, gave
an average of Ga per cent straight
flour. Since in each case the wheat