Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1903-08-20
What Corn Wheat Is.

-Four hundred acres of corn wheat will be
harvested in the vicinity Of Moscow; Idaho,
this season. This large acreage was sown
last spring to grow seed for supplying the
demand for that peculiar grain. 1t is est.
mated that the fields will produce at least
sixty bushels to the acre. This will give
1,44OOOO pounds, 72O tons, enough seed to
plant $4,000 acres. All of the crop has been
ordered by different grain farmers residing
in the United States and foreign countries.
The grain is q mammoth rye. 1t was in
PRODUCED into this country in 1888 by Nj. j.
Shields, an experimental grass and grain
farmer He obtained the original seed from
the Department of Agriculture of Germany.
BY continuous annual planting and reserv-
ing good quantity of seed he and others
have planted the dozen or more fields that
constitute the four hundred acres now grow
ing corn wheat. Much of the seed has been
sent to Canada, and a company of farmers
on Prince Edwards Island has made pur-
chase Of one hundred bushels OF the cereal.
Corn wheat is name given the cereal by
the man who introduced il in the United
States. He claims that no appropriate name
could be found in the regular cereal books,
and therefore he selected this as what WAS
considered the most applicable. The gram
is a mammoth cereal, possessing the proper.
ties of both wheat and corn. The meal is
said to be a fair substitute for cornmeal. The
kernels or berries, rs the western grain hand
lers describe the seed, are about three. quar-
tiers of an inch in length. They have hard
outer bran shell like rye
The straw OF corn wheat is q strong, stub
by plant. 1t has the power of resisting rain
and drouth better than ordinary wheats.
The heads are about six inches in length and
the grain sets out in rows like the old rye of
Europe. AS the plant stools out in the same
manner as rye, 1t IS a valuable forage crop.
In the Palouse country Of Idaho and Wash
ington, hay is often more productive of mon
ey results than wheat, aud this grain gives
promise of being fine for cutting and Oalmg
as hay. This commands SO to $l2 u ton,
and an acre produces five or six tons.
A bnshel of corn wheat weighs sixty
pounds. This is the quantity to plant on an
acre. The semi arid hills CT the northwes,
seem to be adapted to the successful grow
ing ofthis cereal. Last year four acres plan
ted to corn wheat near Moscow produced
1873 sacks, averaging l40 pounds to the sack.
This gives an average Of about seventy-fve
bushels to the acre. The crop Of 1908 will
not be so good rs the year is not favorable
for grain growing of any kind in the Palouse
wheat fields. Tbs crop, like the others, will
be short
Some haye supposed the corn wheat fake,
Others have named it the goose wheat,
which IN reality does not exist A professor
in the Department of Agriculture at Wash
ington names it the Polish wheat No
doubt it is distinct variety of rye. 1t has
no more resemblance to Polish wheat than
to any OF the maCaronl varieties of Russian
introduction. 1t is simply freak in the
grain world, Ithas many valuable qualities
The pIodnctiveness is an argument IN its
favor. Asa fool tor hogs it is perfect.
When ground 1t makes fair meal and good
dairy food.-Iribune Farmer.