BUREAU OF PLANT INDUSTRY. 289 



and the methods of handling, marketing, and grading rice in Louisi- 

 ana, Texas, Arkansas, and South Carolina. 



During the fiscal year ending June 30, 1913, it is planned to extend 

 verj'^ materially the investigations on rice and to take up the com- 

 mercial grading and handling of kafir. 



GRAIN INVESTIGATIONS. 



The general adaptation, breeding, and other work on grains has 

 continued under the immediate charge of Mr. M. A. Carleton. 



Winter-wheat extensiok. — Experiments with winter wheat con- 

 tinue to give good results, and the area devoted to winter- wl eat 

 growing has been extended considerably to the north and west by the 

 use of hardier strains, such as the Kharkof. The annual production 

 of this variety alone in the United States is now about 20.000,000 

 bushels. Especially interesting results have been obtained the past 

 3'ear in the Judith Basin of Montana and in eastern Oregon. A 

 circular discussing winter wheat for western South Dakota has been 

 issued. 



Durum wheat. — The most important feature in relation to durum 

 wheat is the recent considerable increase in its use in this country. 

 The exports are not now so large, indicating that with an annual 

 production about the same as heretofore much more of this wheat 

 is being used at home. In addition to its use for bread making it is 

 now being emplo^-ed much more extensively in the manufacture of 

 breakfast foods. A number of such foods are made largely from 

 durum wheat, and one of the most prominent breakfast-food com- 

 panies in the United States is now using this wheat entirely. 



Experiments have been continued with some promise of success 

 with the purpose of producing a winter variety. Through hybrid- 

 ization new strains have also been developed that are beardless, an 

 important character for the farmer. 



Other crops in rotation with cereals. — In addition to the usual 

 success obtained with cereals following other crops, such as legumes 

 and rye plowed under green, especially interesting results were noted 

 at Chico, Cal. Land which had been cropped for three years with 

 alfalfa (1907-1909) and on which corn was grown in 1910 was sown 

 Avith Chul wheat following the corn and in 1911 gave a yield of 87 

 bushels per acre. The same wheat sown on ground that had been 

 continuously cropped with grain for three years produced 30 bushels 

 per acre. 



Influence of environment on the composition or grain. — Sev- 

 eral new experiments to determine the influence of environment have 

 been started the past season. In all experiments of this kind under- 

 taken recently only pedigreed seed is being used — that is, seed that 

 has been increased from a single mother plant, so that the most 

 accurate results possible may be obtained. Results continue to show 

 a greater influence of climate than of soil on the composition of the 

 transferred seed. 



Time and rate of seeding grain. — Most of the experiments relating 

 to the time and rate of seeding grain indicate that the best rate of 

 seeding is a little less in every locality than that which is commonly 

 23165°— A(.R 1911 19 



