Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1905-11-17
FIND WEALTH
IN NEW WHEAT
Macaroni Variety is Becoming Very
Popular With the Western
Farmers.
IT THRlVES ON ARID PLAINS
Europe Demands Millions Of Bushels
and Pays Good Prices for This
Grain.
r THRlvES ON ARID PLAINS

Washington, Nov. 1--we shall re-
ceive in Marseilles," writes Consul
General Skinner, before the end of
the year something like million bush
the first of that variety to be shipped
to France in commercial quantities.
AS Marseilles is the greatest market
fol- hard wheat in the world, the ad-
vent of the United States as the fur
nisher of raw material is regarded
with a great deal of interest. | I'M
derstand that the most of this grain
was grown on land which will not pro-
duce the ordinary wheat. A few years
ago, when the macaroni manufacture
ers of Marseilles asked us for hard
wheat it was discovered that the va.
riety they wanted was not grown in
the United States at all. Thereupon
Secretary Wilson of the department
of agriculture consented to take up
the matter, and pushed it with such
energy and great success that our
formers will soon be able to supply
are now almost entirely dependent up
on the wheat fields of north Africa
The fact that we have taken a million
of bushels at Marseilles this year goes
far to show that demand and supply
are in a fair way to adjust them
selves with gret benefit to our PEG.
pie"
Europe Wants It.
I'VE will send 100000 bushels of
1nacaroni wheat this year to France,
Italy and other parts of Europe said
Secretary Wilson, when l called his
attention to the dispatch of Consul
General Skinner. I'VE will send 3,OOO,-
600 bushels to the macaroni makers
Of France, and they are paying prem
ium for it and will take all that we
can send. This peculiar quality of
wheat" continued the secretary" is
rot only good for macaroni but is SUI
perior for ordinary purposes, particu-
larly for countries like France and It,
ally, where the people eat more bread
and less meat. The diet Of French
wOrkingmen, and the Italians also, is
very largely bread and wine and
few olives, and hence they want good
Lread-strong bread-bread that is
nOurishing and muscle building. This
n:acaroni wheat which we are just
beginning this year to send to France
and other countries of southern Eu-
rope, is richer in protein than any 9th
er wheat. 1t is the best muscle build
Ell of any food we have. 1t makes
lnen strong, and, therefore. the Euro
peans, wac eat little meat, need it
more than We do. and are calling for
it: while our millers have tried to
decry il.
Where did this wheat come from
and how long have We been growing
it?"
The agents of the agricultural de-
partment brought it from Russia and
northern Africa about five years ago.
replied Secretary Wilson, and We dis
tributed the, seed around among our
experimental farms and among farm
ers who were willing to give it care
fld attention, until it has spread over
considerable part of the west and
has extended the wheat area of the
United States more than hundred
miles into the semi-arid regions, and
has enabled our farmers to cultivate
with profit land which was supposed
to be fit for nothing but pasture for
wild steers. 1t is the best crop we
know of for dry climate. l would
not recommend it for an ordinary
wheat country, but it will flourish
where other wheat will not grow. II
needs only ten inches of rain for a
crop. and a wide zone of hitherto use
less land on the eastern slopes of the
Rocky mountains, which has had toe
little moisture for ordinary cereals
and vegetables, yields large crops OF
the best quality of macaroni wheat
1t requires careful attention, however
1t must be cultivated with patience
and skill.
There are two varieties of mac
aroni wheat-tnat which comes from
Russia being the best for -four" sale
the secretary, land that which comes
from northern Africa being the bes
for macarOni. | do not see why We
should not supply the greater part Of
the European market with macaron
wheat. 1t would be good for the PEG
pie over there and it would be goot
for u.s."