The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1911-07-04
wheat ON DRY FARM
Blue stem and Fife Varieties OF
Hard Spring Unsafe.
purum, introduced From Southeastern
Russla Where Rainfall 10 Light
Adapted to Climate Of West
tern Plains Area.

In a large part OF the dry farming
territory the bluestem and ME Varle'
ties Of hard spring wheats are very
unsafe crops. Where bread wheats
can be grown, the Red Fife, selected
strains known as Johnson's flie'
Golden Fife, etc., are good yleloers
and the berry is usually plump ana
hard. The millers, however, nave
placed these varieties in q market
class designated as velvet chan, ana
the price is a few cents lower per
bushel than the bluestem var1eties
bring. These latter include poth
bearded and bald types, writes Man
ley Champlin in the Farmer and
Breeder The variety known as pedi-
greed bluestem has given good re-
suits at the Highmore Satisfaction as
reported in Bulletin 115 Of the South
Dakota Experiment station. This sta
ton is situated near the eastern Dor
der Of the dry farming belt.
Very little winter wheat Is grown
at present, but its early ripening and
good quality and yield OF grain are
interesting many of the progressive
farmers who have obtained some very
good results. The Minnesota station
advises its use only sparingly Five
acres is considered enough to start
with. If 1t proves to be we'll suited
to your conditions the acreage can be
increased. There Is danger OF winter
killing, and too much dependence
should not be placed on this crop
Turkey Red and Kharkov are the com
mercial varieties grown.
Where bread wheat Is grewn will
difficulty, Nature comes to the res
cue with the hard macaroni or durun
wheats. Until very recently there wa
difficulty in marketing this class o
wheat and even today the price is Il
to 20 per cent lower than for har'
spring wheats of the bread varieties
This fact is probably due to the Amer
lean love of white bread. The durur
wheat flour makes a palatable, muir
tious bread, but the yellow color ha
been inveighed against by fastidiou
custom. Bulletin No. Of the burea
of plant industry gives an interestin
history of the trials the durum whea
grower has had to overcome, as we
as advice as to how to plant, et'
These wheats were introduced frOr
southeastern Russia, where the rail
fall Is light and the changes OF ten
perature severe. They are, therefor
adapted to the climate Of the Wester
plains ara.
In describing the characteristics {
macaroni or durum wheat Mr.. M.
Carlton says in the above mentione
bulletin: 1.-THE wheats OF this grou
grow rather tall and have stems tn;
are either pithy within or hollow.
The leaves are usually broad ar
smooth, but have a peculiar whitis
green color and possess an extreme
harsh cuticle. The heads are cor
; paratively slender in most varietie
compactly formed, occasionally vel
; short, and are always bearded Wi
the longest boards known to wheat
The peculiar ability of the duru
! wheats to resist drought and seve
changes of temperature as well
, their early ripening qualities and his
yielding capacity make them esp
cially fitted for the needs of the d
farmer. Here is a money crop
: which he is practically sure. tt
} yields vary from 10 to 35 bushels p
acre. The Kubanka and Arnautka '
! rieties have given the best results
this section.
> Emmer is widely grown as a 81
( stitute feed grain where oats are
. uncertain crop. It has not the fee
ing value of oats, but when grou
makes fairly good feed for any ia,
stock. The chaff clings to the gra
l. when threshed, thus giving the or
!. great bulk. There is not an establis
a ed market and farmers rarely grt
n more than enough for their own fe,
a The yields vary from 20 to 80 bushe
a 30 being considered a fair yield. E
. mer Is commonly called speltz.