Idaho County free press., 1924-08-21
wheat IS WONDER
GRAIN OF WORLD
What Is This Bounty of Ma.
ture Upon Which Many
Millions Depend?

price OF wheat have on the election
this fallf News bulletins forecast the
wheat crop. Political parties claim
candidates can be elected II the price
OF wheat goes up. The first million
dollar cleanup has been reported.
Historians have pointed out that
wheat or the need Of II has caused
wars Just what is this bounty of
nature upon which millions depend
and which millions know only as
bread7
AS far as known there was no cul-
tivated wheat on the American con-
tinent when Columbus arrived but to-
day the United States leads the world
In production Of this cereal.
In 1923 the wheat output of the
United States was 761, ,TS7, 900 bushels
while In 1850 1t was only one hun
dred million bushels. In 1919 pro-
duction jumped to OCT 87,979.000 bushels
due to- the call of war. Every grain
of this wheat was much the same, the
American Nature association points
out.
Wheat belongs to the grass family.
Its family name Is Hordeae. and II
the system Of the genealogy books
were followed four main branches
would be found: Common wheat,
Egyptian or English wheat, Flint,
Durum or Macaroni wheat and Dwarf
wheat. The family tree would show
many offshoots from each of these
groups; wheats with interesting
names like Turkey Red, Blue Stem.
Scotch Fife, Golden Chaff and Beard
ed Winter Fife; red wheats and white
wheats, winter wheats and spring
wheats; hard wheats and soft wheats.
Many Kinds Developed.
Through centuries Of cultivation.
In varying climates and In different
soils through experiment, through
crossing and mixing, myriad kinds Of
wheRts have developed
On the outside the kernel wears an
overcoat composed of cellulose. Next
is a coat, and then a vest composed
Of bran. The kernel is still further
protected by a shirt of gluten cells.
Then comes the wheat kernel Itself,
with tiny indentations at the bottom
whore the germ Of the new plant is
stored. In different kinds of wheat
the relative sizes of these coverings
and the kernel vary. deciding the
wheat's value and use.
There are winter wheats and spring
| wheats. The former Is sowed and
| gains a foothold In the fall, and the
latter is put in the ground in the
spring.
The weight and size of the wheat
kernel determines the flour yield.
| Flour made from hard wheat Is the
chief bread flour. That which is
milled from soft wheat is best for
crackers, cake and pastry. Durum
flour makes a sticky dough fitted for
the making of macaroni, into which
more than 10O,000,O00 bushels Of the
output of the United States goes.
| Graham flour is made from the whole
grain ground into powder, while whole
wheat flour, not as coarse as graham,
is made from grinding what is left
after the branny layers are removed.
But nature makes man work to
save his wheat. How many know
black stem rust Of grain, annually
taking a toll of some fifty million
dollars worth of potential food prod
ucts In the North Central states, is a
disease which can be curbed?
Has Its Enemies.
In the plant world the germ" of a
disease is sometimes known as
"spore." Like the typhoid germ, the
black stem rust spore breeds in GER
tain places. Instead of choosing filth
for its birthplace, however, its early
days are spent on the leaves of the
beautiful. common barberry bush,
known to many attractive lawns and
gardens, and when it leaves the bar
berry It romps through the fields on
the wings of the summer breeze.
There are two good methods for
removing the common barberry. One
is to dig it up, being sure to get ev'
cry bit Of the roots. A bit Of root left
in the grond may send up sprouts
furnishing a spring-time nome tOr ule
\ rust spore. A more certain method
than digging is to pour ten to fifteen
pounds of common rock salt upon the
roots of the plant
complete story Of wheat is NOT
only the story of the pioneers and
their covered wagons but story OF
the world. AS frontiers were flung
westward. wheat followed the tide OF
settlement. Today 1t grows In the
soil of forty-three states. 1t creates
economic and agricultural problems
with which legislators, economists
and business men as well as the
farmer must grapple.
One day In prehistoric times man
set out with a rude hoe and started
70 cultivate wheat There Is no evi-
dence that this grain grew wild and
was of value without the help OF man.
Nature, as with many Of Its gifts,
gave the means. leaving It for man to
find the way. Grains OF wheat nave
been found In the tombs Of Egypt,
and ancient records chronicle Its cul-
.t.fu~ ood t,oa for food