The Idaho scimitar. [volume] (Boise, Idaho) 1907-1908, 1908-08-22
Wonderful Alaska Wheat.

Spokane Spokesman-Review: If he who makes
two blades grow where one has been growing be a
benefactor to mankind, then he who makes two bush
els of wheat grow where one has grown must also
in for full need of praise, and that is what
Abraham Adams of Juliaetta claims for his ALASKA"
wheat mysterious bearded grain which is growing
luxuriant1y 700 acres of Juliaetta farming land
Mr.. Adams is as mute as the Sphinx regarding the
development of the grain, although he is willing and
anxious to show his fields No doubt can exist about
the size of the wonderful heads They are several
times larger than club wheat heads and the kernel
is large round berry, plump and seemingly nu-
tritious
Briefly stated, Mr. Adams discovery was made in
1904, when he secured single stalk of the Alaska
wheat which he sowed in his garden The following
summer he harvested seven pounds of grain, which
he sowed in the spring of 1906 and in July he har-
vested 1915 pounds. This crop was in the fall
of 1906 and the following summer he secured enough
grain to 700 acres, which is almost ripe
for the harvest The grain far has increased 300
fold each year.
Mr.. Adams believes he will harvest almost 100
bushels to the acre this summer, although the hot
winds of the last two weeks may materially reduce
this production Mr.. Adams declines to make any
statement as to the origin of the grain. He waves
precludes further probing.
In Juiaeta several stories are in circulation to
the origin of the grain, but the most commonly
accepted is that single stalk was found in of
the fertile valleys of Alaska This, it is commonly
believed was sent to Mr. Adams, who has increased
it to its present wonderful production
The grain has never been mill tested, although [.
Shirley Jones, chemist of the Idaho experiment sta
tion has made chemical analysis which is hatterng,
as the following letter will show:
Moscow, Idaho May A. 1908.-A Adams, Julia
eta, Idaho. Dear Sir: Regarding the analysis made
upon the sample of ALASKA" wheat which you
brought to this laboratory, | have this to say:
The kernels from the fal-sown wheat plump
and sound and doubtless will grade as No. L. Judg
ing from the chemical and physical condition of this
sample, will say, it will probably take rank with the
best grade of bluestem for flour making purposes
The sample grown from spring grown wheat show
ed by chemical analysis somewhat higher protein
content (this being indication of its probable
strength for bread-mak1ng purposes). The high pro-
tein content however, is accounted for by the some
what shrunken condition of the berries. [ am in
c1ned to think that the wheat that you have here is
the equal if not the superior of our bluestem for
flour making purposes. I should like to make
mill test whenever you can send sufficient guam
tity for that purpose. Very truly
i. S. Jones
Station Chemist.
There can be no doubt about the abundancy of the
production This year the best has been made under
adverse conditions but the yield will undoubtedly
double that of ordinary wheat and it may reach 100
bushels Expert farmers who are in the
habit of making close estimates of the yield of grain
refuse to place estimate the production of the