The Parma herald. (Parma, Idaho) 1903-1917, 1908-09-19
ALASKA WHEAT.
Idaho Experiment Station Man Writes
Concerning 1t.
b. Il. T. Hyslop AzrDnonnist. University Of Idsbs
ARrIcultural E1perinsert SATIN 49,.

Agricultural Experiment stztion. Moaeo~.
On account Of the numerous in
quiries coming into our station, VIC
lind 1t necessary TO issue this press
bulletin concerning the so-called
Alaska wheat.
This wheat, when given ample field
space or conditions favorable to the
individual plant, has a branching head !
borne on rather tough straw at a
height o: between four and five feet
The mesh bears two and three kerr
nels. When grown under close field
conditions the head tends to be much
smaller, branches less, and the mesh
bears from one 10 two kernels, very
seldom three. II heads grown under
these conditions alone were examined
the impression would be obtained shat
this wheat never bears but two kerr
nels to the mesh. a mistake which
some writers appear TO have made.
The boards. while not numerous,
are dark in color and considerably
stronger than we find on our common
wheats. but not so long or stiff as
those found on the durums or maca-
roni wheats. The normal kernel is
light in color, short and plump, with
an unusually open groove, which al
lows the kernel 10 be easily broken
IN threshing. A cross-section shows
the interior to be white and powdery.
with comparatively little horny starch
The shrunken kernels naturally are
harder
Taking everything into considera.
ton, l am led TO conclude that this
IS the Egyptian or Miracle wheat,
Poulard, and that it belongs 10 that
variety Of the Egyptian known as
Eldorado, which is very closely re-
lated 10 the seven-headed variety.
The Poulards are peculiarly adapted
10 dry regions, but never have been
grown to any extent in America
Their yields have never proved TO be
OF such a nature as to warrant their
extensive growth. even for stock food.
And the inferiority OF the flour pro-
duced from them has prevented their
use to any extent for the production
OF bread.
The high yields claimed for the
wheat in this section OF the country,
in some cases 277 bushels per acre,
are fabulous One OF the promoters
states that from one head OF the
wheat he obtained seven pounds:
from these seven pounds he produced
1545 pounds. or yield in round num-
bers Of 220 fold. 1t IS from these
figures that the yields noted in the
various papers, and in the circular OF
the Adams-Hobe Seed Grain COM
pany. OF Juliaetta. Idaho. are COM
puted To show the righteousness OF
computing yields in this way. we de-
termined in a couple OF cases, the
number Of grains produced from one
seed OF Little Club grown under ia
vorable conditions in our breeding
plat. One plant produced 1176; the
other $500 kernels. Now, reasoning
as this seed company has done, If we
should plant one bushel OF this Little
Club to the acre, we would obtain
1176 or 1900 bushels. This would be
a rather high yield, even for Idaho
This year the company had ZOO
acres in the wheat grown on different
farms in this locality. A thirty-acre
tract near Moscow, which was
threshed in the middle OF August.
went about thirty-two bushels per
acre. Mr. Adams stated at that time
that his best yields had been thirty
five bushels. He supplemented this
remark however, with the statement
that his stands were poor in every
case. But considering the large acre
age, the fact that several different
farmers grew the crop, and the effect
OF close stand, noted above, we must
take this as an indication, at least. OF
the yielding power OF the wheat This.
however, would not be considered an
extra large yield for this country.
The analysis OF the wheat upon
which the company appears 10 base
its hopes amounts to practically moth
ing in determining the bread-making
quality OF the flour. 1t is true. that
bluestem wheat, which analyses higher
in protein than Little Club. makes a
better quality Of flour. but it is also
true that macaroni wheat. which an
alyzes higher in protein than Blue
stem, makes a lower class OF flour
and consequently is Disseminated
against by the miller. The low-grads
flours turned out from our mills usu
ally show a higher protein content
than the patent. Corn has consider.
able protein. but the chemist seem:
unable to find any gluten Chat all es
sential part OF a good flour. Ever
il the chemist had found high CLUTTER
content in Alaska wheat. we would
! still not be justified in concluding
that the wheat would make a gooc
, quality Of flour The proof OF tn,
wheat IS in the bread it will make.
promised to have a milling test made
/ Upon our request the company hai
soon. Until this test is made. how
ever, we must assume that the whea
! will make no better flour under tn,
name OF Alaska" than it did wher
known as Wheat OF Miracle"
In spite OF all the beautiful storie!
l which have been written concerning
the origin Of this wheat, regardless o
the many wonderful things which
have been imagined about its quality
and taking into consideration the i'm
= preston as to yield, which has 81
{ skillfuliy been thrown broadcas
e throughout the American continent b.
this seed company, who advertise thei
wheat for sale al $50 per bushel. W
have vet 10 find any point OF meri
p in it which would warrant the publ
o paving more for Alaska" wheat thai
o the prevailing market price of GU
!. common varieties