The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1913-04-27
DESERT TO BLOOM
WITH A new
WHEAT
"WILD" SPECIES IS DISCOVERED
THAT WILL RECLAIM AMERl-
CAS- ARID ACRES.

and that not long distant-the arid
highlands of New Mexico, the sun
parched plains Of Texas, and other
vast areas of so-called desert lands in
the west may be converted into richly
productive wheatfields is held forth by
Aaron Aaronsohn. He delivered an
address at a luncheon given in his
honor by julius Rosenwald at the
Blackstone hotel recently.
MI. Aaronsohn is the d~iscoverer of
wild" wheat. LAS head of the Jewish
agricultural experiment station in
Halfa, Palestine, he is conducting a
work which is not only Of value prac-
tically but is regarded by scientists as
of immense Importance biologically and
historically.
The discovery that American domes-
ticated wheat had an existing wild"
ancestor was announced through scien-
tific journals some time ago and Gre
ated a sensation. 1t had been supposed
the prototype of the cereal had long
since been exterminated in the course
of natural selection.
The most interesting part of Mr..
Aaronsohn's, talk had to do with expert
ments that have been made in Pales-
tine with this wild" ancestor. In this
connection Mr.. Aaronsohn ventured the
prediction that species may be devel-
oped which can be grown profitably in
places where no vegetation exists at all
now.
In the experiments at Halfa eighteen
varieties of wild wheat have already
been developed. These are adapted to
varying soil conditions and climates.
Eventually, he hopes, a plant may be
evolved which possessing all the food
values of domesticated wheat, may still
preserve the ancestors hardihood.
"I found my first wild wheat plant"
said Mr.. Aaronsohn, growing in a
crevice of a rock in a vineyard in
Palestine. 1t was in four inches of
soil. Later I discovered that it was
indigenous to all of the subhumid re-
gions from the waters edge to the
borders of the mountain snow fields.
1t grows naturally in a rocky or aka
line soil. "It is immun to practically
all Of the. diseases of domesticated
wheat, particularly rust and other
fungus diseases"
Mr.. Aaronsohn's belief that the plant
can be developed until it has a tre-
IHeiluOuS vial SaibC ID poSSH VA
what his Investigations have led him
to believe is its history.
Before the discovery of the proto-
type" he said, "it was the scientific
theory thai the plant from which
wheat had it's beginnings had become
extinct centuries ago 1t was supposed
to have been an inconspicuous weed
which prehistoric man gradually had
developed into it's present high effici-
ency as a food producer. I could not
agree with that theory because I could
not conceive how u uncivilized an
cestors should had the shrewdness to
select this one particular inconspicuous
plant for cultivation. This forced
upon me the conclusion that the
prototype of wheat must be a plant
not only conspicuous in it's appearance
but of a utility so obvious that even
aborigines could not have overlooked it
This was what led to the discovery.
"'My idea of the history of the plant
is that these ancestors of ours, being
nomads, carried the seed of this wheat
about with them, sowing in the. spring
in one spot. going on, and coming
back in the fall to harvest. The PLAN
grows practically without cultivation
From this beginning, developed the
present highly degenerate plant which
is the foundation of all III cultivation
MY explorations in Palestine. have ha6
the effect of confirming this theory.
find the plant growing in it's native
state. everywhere the desert nomads
were wont to travel.
'aThere is a corrollary to this propo-
sition that is intensely interesting tt
historians. 1t has long been the be-
lief that the human ace had it's or
igin either in the valley of the Eu-
pirates or along the fertile reaches Of
the Nile. But if we look for the spo'
where man originated we must also
look for the place where Wheat-ths
main item of his bill of fare--had its
natural habitat. This habitat is not II
Egypt or along the E%uphrates, but IL
Palestine and Mesopotamia. Appar'
emily the human race had its begin
nings there and from there mans mi
grations started"
There is no cas9 on record OF /:
cough, cold or lagrippe developing int