Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1904-04-14

interest that is and has been felt fol-
many years in securing a variety OF
grain which will yield larger crops
and be more certain tan the varieties
which have been used in years past
Mavaroni wheat promises to be pro
life grain. but whether it is just suit
ed 10 the climate here is yet to be de-
termined. The wheat desired is one
that will yield well. and that will stand
until ripe without SCATTERING, and
which will not lose it's gluten qualities
by being allowed to stand in the field
after the proper period for cutting.
During the last few years experiments
of an interesting character have been
snade all over the world with this point
in view.
The first considerable sowings of
durum wheat are being made here this
year.
The breeding OF new varieties of
plants is now occupying large place
farm crops. A good instance of sue
cessful work in this line is found in
the experiments of the Canadian ex-
perimental farms in crossing hard red
Calcutta and Gehun, early Indian va
rieites of wheat. and Ladoga, an early
maturing Russian variety. with Red
Fife and White Fife. The crossbred
varieties thus obtained ripen three or
four days earlier than the Fife varie-
ties and are vigorous and productive.
Preston. cross of the Red Fife with
LadOga. has taken the lead in pro-
aductiveness during six years. The best
results for earliness have been OBJ
tanned by crossing Omega. a variety
from the most northern wheat district
of Russia with Gehun, which comes
from a high elevation in the Hima-
layan mountains. but the grain has
heen small and the yield only medium
Steady advance in knowledge rath-
er than spectacular discoveries is what
may be expected from year TO year as
regards the results of experimental in
Quiries concerning staple crops. Wheat
was no exception to this rule in 1908
The reports of the experiment stations
and the department OF agriculture dur
ing that year have brought to light
number OF Interesting and valuable new
points about this ancient cereal.
Investigations reported by Rimpau
in Germany indicate that the stooling
capacity Of wheat and other cereals
10 not sure indication Of the product
iveness OF the plant. Great Yields from
single stools Of wheat are, however,
often reported. In a recent case 1t is
stated that such a stool yielded 4,S75
grains from one grain Of seed.
In experiments in New South Wales
with wheat seed OF seven different
grades large plump seeds proved to be
the best In termination, plant produc-
Ing power. yielding capacity and the
production of grain Of high quality.
Seed selection carried on during three
yeals at the Tennessee experiment sta
alen ahuewd that selections from me
1durn sized heads are most likely to
give satisfactory results and that large
grains give the best average returns.
In experiments conducted by the On
tariO agricultural college for six years
the average Weld obtained by sowing
I, IN and 2 bushels OF wheat per acre
were 40. -, and ~ bushels respectively.
Drilling and sowing have given practi-
cally the same results. The avera ge re-
suits Of experiments in progress for
seven years to determine the value of
seed from wheat cut at different stages
of maturity show that the heaviest
grain and the largest total yield were
produced from the seed taken from
very ripe crops.
Much attention continues to be given
by experimenters to testing varieties Of
wheat. A strong reason for this is to
be found in the returns Of the bureau Of
ture giving the yield of wheat in the
United States in 1903. Winter wheat
grown on 32.5lO,51O acres yielded &c.,
S67.25O bushels or 1928 bushels per
acre; at an average price of IT'S cents
per bushel. This crop was valued at
$2S6. 242S49. or $3.50 per acre. Spring
wheat grown on 16.954.455 acres yielded
237.954.5S5 bushels, or IA bushels per
acre; at an average price of $50 cents
per bushel. This crop was valued at
S156.7s1.977. or 1923 per acre. The av-
erage yield per acre of winter wheat
varied from 81 bushels in North Caro-
lima to 81 bushels in Idaho: and that
of spring wheat from 12.1 bushels in
iowa to 2S.2 bushels in Montana. AS
long as such conditions continue the
search for more productive varieties
will be active. The fact that individ-
ual tests of varieties are likely to be OF
restricted local value ia now generally
recognized by experimenters and efforts
are therefore made to extend these
tests. Mention will be made here only
of few Of the more important recent
reports on tests Of varieties.
Taking the average of the Yields of
different varieties of spring wheat OBJ
tdined on all the experimental farms
in Canada for a period of eight years,
the most productive varieties have been
Roumainian. Laurel. Preston. Goose.
Rio Grande. Monarch. Huron. Wellman,