East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1906-08-28
WHEAT THAT WILL STAND DIFFERENT
KINDS Of WEATHER

The following article appears in the
last issue of the Rural Spirit, address
ed TO the editor:
Mr.. George T. Parr, Moro, Ore,
makes the following inquiry:
For the past two years our coun-
ty has been extremely unfortunate in
having the winter crops completely
destroyed by cold snaps 1t is work
ing a great hardship on our farmers
and means ruination to many. We
have experienced an occasional freeze
out but never before has 1t struck
this country twice in succession and
this experience leads us to inquire
whether or not it is possible for us
TO secure a suitable variety of wheat
that will stand the cold weather and
at the same time be adapted TO our
soils and weather conditions.
I'VE have heretofore adhered strict
" to Wara walla club, crooked neck
club, little club and red chaff for fall
seeding and to bluestem, sonora and
macaroni wheats for spring seeding.
In ordinary years the above varieties
have proven satisfactory, but during
years IKE the past two we have found
that they are not strictly adaptable
to all conditions. II you know of any
varieties of seed wheat that will stand
clod weather and high winds We would
be very thankful If you would send
us the names of the same"
Reply. It will be noted that Mr.,
Parr has asked the ,question that is
in the mind of almost every farmer in
eastern Oregon and Washington. 1t
is a problem that might not have
been so pressing had not the unusual
conditions referred to continued for
two years in succession.
Twice we have had freeze outs and
twice has hot winds or hot weather
endangered the crop that escaped the
winters cold. The state experiment
station at Pullman has been at work
for many years trying to meet these
and other adverse conditions under
which the wheat farmer is laboring
The work began with selecting such
as appeared promising from the list
OF old and standard varieties. Wher
it became clear that few of these
were adapted to our Pacific coast re
gion and could in no degree equa
varieties commonly grown here, oul
plan of experimentation was changed
and our efforts were given to produc'
new varieties among which we nigh
be able TO select some that would sui
the requirements. nj the past sever
years we have produced hundreds o
new varieties by crossing old an(
we'll known one on those commonl!
grown on this coast. In the progres
of this work we have combined near
ly all of the standard varieties in SOM
way or other.
Many of these crosses were failure
from the start, the result beng whea
possessing undesirable characters an
having nothing OF commend then
over others. In doing this work Ger
tain definite ideas were kept steadil
in mind. We wanted a wheat tina
was a true winter variety. possessin
stiff straw and a close, compact hea
that would stand up until ripe enoug
to be headed and would not shatte
out in high winds. We wanted it hard
both to Withstand the winter freezin
and summer drouth. Besides these
must so far as possible be resistar
TO smut and rust.
When these conditions of growt
were met there still remained the rc
quirement that It should be in ever
respect a good milling wheat and po!
sess a high per cent of gluten. !