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tion.of Minnesota No. 169. A list of some of the best varieties as shown by the results of station tests is given elsewhere. (96, 97, 98, 99)

89. Variety Names.-One reason which makes the comparative merits of varieties so confusing is that many names are given to the same variety. It is not unusual for old and wellknown varieties to be put on the market with high sounding names and extravagant praises. Probably the re-naming of old varieties is to some extent intentional deception, but doubtless much of it is done through ignorance. A wheat raiser procures fresh seed from some source without knowing the name of it, and finds after growing it a year or two that it is better than that grown by his immediate neighbors. This leads to a local name, given either by the grower or the buyers. The better the variety and the more extensively it is grown, the larger the number of names it is likely to receive. Different varieties, also, although less frequently, sometimes have the same name. Often fancied or real improvement has taken place. It would often be difficult to decide when a strain has varied sufficiently to justify its having a new name.

90. Pedigree Wheat.-To protect both the purchaser of seed wheat and the producer of superior varieties, it has been proposed to establish a register for recording varieties of wheat and other field crops. This record would be accompanied by a statistical pedigree of the variety and there would be just the same opportunity of judging the source and value of the variety as there now is for judging these qualities in registered breeds of live stock. By statistical pedigree is meant that the yield of the crop in each generation would be on record. If the yield of a lineal ancestor of a particular strain of a given variety were known for a number of generations, together with the name of the grower, the locality, character of soil, and method of culture of each generation, the purchaser would have an intelligent and consistent basis for judging its value. Whether this register

could best be conducted by breeders' associations, by the State or National agency is still an unsettled question. In the meantime there is an opportunity for breeders to form associations and reap a benefit similar to that obtained by live stock breeders' associations.

91. Number of Varieties.-In 1895 the United States Department of Agriculture collected about 1,000 rather distinct varieties of wheat, having obtained varieties from every wheat country of the world. After three years' trial less than 200 varieties were selected as being worthy of continued trial. After five years' trial, it was determined that in all the species and subspecies of wheat there were 245 which may be regarded as leading varieties of the world, at least so far as they have any adaptability to American conditions.

92. Variety Characteristics.-The following are some of the characteristics which may be taken to constitute variety differences: color, shape and hardness c grain, color and smoothness of glumes, glumes bearded or beardless, time of ripening, length and other characters of straw. If grown under like conditions, probably the size of the grain, when the differences are marked, should be considered. With winter wheat the time of ripening is not a very important characteristic through much of the winter wheat area. The Ohio Station finds usually about twelve days as the extreme difference in sixty-five varieties tested, although a difference of sixteen days has been noted. This station is confirmed in the belief that seasons which produce early maturity give crops of better quality.1 Hays found ainong 400 plants of a single spring variety that the time of ripening varied from 97 to 127 days." In those States west of the Missouri River where hot dry winds frequently prevail during the ripening period, especially if delayed, earliness of maturity 1 Ohio Bul. 129, p. 18.

8 Minn. Bul. 62 (1899) p. 424.

is essential to successful wheat culture. A number of otherwise desirable varieties cannot be successfully grown on account of their lateness in maturing.

93. Variety Groups.-The different varieties can be divided easily into eight groups in accordance with three external characters as follows:

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In some varieties with bronze glumes the glumes are velvety instead of smooth, as is usually the case. The color of the grain varies from a light yellow, usually called white, to a deep red. In some cases the intermediate color is referred to as amber. In the markets wheat is referred to as either red or white. With the exceptions just noted, different varieties coming in any one of the eight groups will usually resemble each other closely and need to be subjected to a rigid test to determine their right to be called separate varieties. Beardless varieties with red berries are the most numerous and most generally cultivated. It has not been demonstrated that there is any difference in yield between red and white or bearded and beardless wheats. Two thousand years ago Columella recommended bearded wheats for low moist land and beard

less wheats for dry upland. The variety which the Ohio Station especially recommends for lowland is bearded, while the two highest yielding varieties upon upland soil in nine years' test are beardless. Some bearded varieties, however, have also yielded nearly as well upon upland soil. Red grains command the highest price because of their superior milling qualities.

New Wheats
Minnesota No.155 149 157 181 167 171 163 169BUSHELS

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94. Desirable Qualities. The three characteristics which determine the eight groups above are external and in themselves are not essential, although they may be correlated with essential qualities. Nilsson holds that the purely botanical characters have correlated with them such valuable economic ones that too much stress cannot be laid upon the value of a pure botanical variety. Some of the qualities which it is desirable to obtain in wheat are:

(1) High yield.

(2) Hardness and density of grain. (3) For some purposes and within certain limits high gluten content of superior quality.

(4) Early maturity (at least for some sections.)

(5) Resistance to drought.

(6) Resistance to rusts.

(7) Resistance to Hessian fly.

(8) Stiffness of straw.

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Some of these qualities are interdependent, as for example high yield and resistance to drought, rusts or Hessian fly, and some are probably antagonistic, as high yield and high gluten

content.

1 E. S. R. XIII (1902), p. 817.

95. Score Card.-Hays has proposed a score card for comparing the performance of spring varieties of wheat, as follows: Percentage score card for comparing varieties of wheat:

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A graphic presentation of this score card is proposed, as shown in paragraph 94.

96. Market Classification. The markets of the country recognize four types of wheat, which are grown in somewhat distinct areas of the country, although no sharp line can be drawn between these localities. They are as follows:

I. Soft winter, in eastern United States; climate mild, even and moist; spike either bearded or beardless, but principally the latter; color of grain varies from white to light red; per cent of gluten medium.

2. Hard winter, south of Minnesota and the Dakotas between the Mississippi River and the Rocky Mountains; extremes of temperature and moisture with dry, hot summers; usually bearded; grain red, with per cent of gluten high.

Hard spring, in Minnesota, the Dakotas and northern Wisconsin, Iowa and Nebraska; climate too severe for winter varieties, otherwise like hard winter district; bearded or beardless; color of grain red and usually lacking in plumpness; per cent of gluten high.

4. White, in Pacific Coast and Rocky Mountain States; long season of growth; bearded or beardless; grain white, large and plump; per cent of gluten low.

1 Minn. Bul. 62 (1899), p. 432.

• Central and western Canada also furnishes a large quantity of this type.

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