The Elbert County tribune., 1906-03-01
WHEAT BREEDING
EXPERIMENTS OF ROBERT oAussl
NEAR DENVER.
RESISTANCE TO DRouTH,
Efforts Based on Theory of Survival Of
the Fittest-seiection Of Seed From
Best Plants Raised on Dry Soil.

Best Plants Raised on Dry Soil.
(By Robert Gauss)
Following are extracts from a paper
read before the American Breeders
Association at Lincoln. Nebraska:
"In eastern Colorado the normal an
nual, precipitation is about 1880,
inches. from which there is but llttio
departure either north or south Of the
state. Abont two-thirds OF this pre-
cipitation occurs between March 1st
and September LIST, thus coming In the
growing season and at n time when 1t
can do the most good. Occasionally In
exceptionally favorable seasons like
thai of 1905 agriculture is prac.. cable
without irrigation. But upon such sea
sons little dependence can be placed,
and hence where Irrigation is imprac-
ticable. farming must remain pre-
carious industry unless means be
found to adapt not physical conditions
to vegetation-as through irrigation
but rather vegetation to physical con-
ditions through acclimitization OF de-
sirable species.
1T was in the latter part OF 1886 that
the idea first occurred to mo that
something might be accomplished OF
practicable value to arid region agri-
culture along the lines Just suggested
1t found expression in an editorial in
the Denver Republican OF November
81. 1886. entitled is There An Arid Re-
gion?' and in which the following sug-
| gestion appeared:
There Is, of course. limit beyond
which we can not 20 in reducing the
| quantity of moisture essential to vege-
tation. But within the limits OF rea-
son we may say that nature accommo-
dates each vegetable organism 10 the
conditions which surround IL. We may
| by sowing seeds in a moist soil and by
| keeping tine soil in a moist condition,
| develop In few Years a plant which
| could not thrive without a great deal
OF moisture; and we may with seeds
taken from the same plant as the
others. develop in the same time, by
the contrary process. n plant which
would require but little moisture
1t may be possible. therefore. by
series of experiments extending
through several years to develop n va
riety of wheat or other gram which
would thrive on our highlands without
| irrigation. Until II is proved that all
| such experiments would fail, we must
admit that it Is an open question
whether this is or is not an arid re-
gion.'
80 began my experiment in the
spring of 1896 with wheat of the va
riety known as improved Fife, which
was sent me from the agricultural col
lege at Fort Collins, The ground was
broken that spring to depth OF about
| seven inches and the seed was sown
broadcast The season was extremely
dry and obtained only a very small
quantity of seed. 1t was sufficient,
however. for replanting as extensively
as desired in the following season Of
| 1897. In the last named year adopted
the plan of placing single grains mt In
tervals of twelve inches each way
thus giving one plant, to each square
foot 1t was tedious process, but It
enabled me to select my plants with
more care. Each year since then I
have repeated this method of planting.
For several years | broke the ground
to n depth of from fourteen to sixteen
inches, using for this purpose sub
soil plough. 1 also caused the surface
of the soil TO be broken with a hoe
thus producing a loose mulch for the
purpose of preventing evaporation.
Subsequently | abandoned both these
| methods, lest by the result attained I
should deceive myself was con-
vinced that in practical farming few
men would subsoil their ground and
that none would be induced by any
promise OF bountiful crops to keep the
surface broken In order to prevent the
loss of moisture by evaporation. In
short, wished my wheat to be subject
to as adverse conditions as 1t would be
subjected to in practical farming, thus
assuring myself that whatever results
might attain would at least not be de-
ceptive In 1897 enlarged my expert
ment by adding oats and beardfees, or
stock-feeding barley. In 1898 ] added
rye, and In 1903 planted for the first
time four varieties OF durum wheat
and one soft wheat known as Fretes,
sent me by Mr.. Carleton of the Depart
ment of Agriculture. The durum
wheats consisted of Kubanka, Pelissier
and two kinds Of Kahla- In the same
year, 1903, / added Turkestan alfalfa.
on the theory that should accIimatize
lemuminous plant which in rotation
would restore the fertility of the soil.
In 1904 added Red Russian wheat.
| the seed for which was obtained from
| Logan county, Colorado, on the plains.
| and variety of mailing barley called
saale, the seed having been obtained
from Mr.. AItenbrand of Manhattan,
Montana, who had imported the orig.
\ inal seed from Germany. In addition
to the foregoing. my experiment In
cludes sugar beets. potatoes and field
peas, but in the case of these too little
time has elapsed to determine whether
there is much promise of success.
Last spring ! planted most of the
cereals in beds of twenty rows a foot
apart ard 100 feet long, thus giving,
theoretically. 1000 plants. each occupy
ing the space of one square foot. This
] is theoretical only. however, for at
| least twenty per cent. of the places are
as rule unoccupied. My own
| wheat was planted at the rate Of one