12 



thereby to ripen earlier. By early sowing and the constant selection 

 of the earliest ripening heads for seed a naturally late wheat may bj 

 gradually transformed into an early variety. 



SOFT WHEAT DISTRICT. 



In this district are included approximately New York, Pennsylvaj 

 nia, New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, and portions of Virginia (Plate 

 I), West Virginia, and eastern Kentucky; also such portions of New 

 England as produce wheat to any considerable extent. The region is 

 characterized on the whole by the production of rather soft wheats, 

 containing a large amount proportionally of starch, though occasion- 

 ally they incline to semihard. The color of the grain is usually yel- 

 lowish white or amber, but sometimes quite reddish. The soil, 

 especially if not heavily fertilized, does not possess the necessary 

 amount of alkali, phosphate, and humitied organic matter required 

 for the production of hard, glutinous wheats. Moreover the climate 

 is against their production, being too moist and cool in summer. 

 Nevertheless in New York and Pennsylvania, by means of the plenti- 

 ful application of fertilizers and the unusual attention paid to seed 

 selection practiced in this region, a large amount of good wheat is 

 annually grown in proportion to the entire area. Twenty-five or 

 thirt}^ years ago, when the area given to wheat culture in this country 

 was much more limited than at present, and when the hard red wheats 

 were not so popular. New York had a deservedly great reputation 

 both for her wheat production and flour'industry. And even at pres- 

 ent, if there is a diminution of this reputation, it is not because of any 

 actual decrease in wheat and flour production, but because of the over- 

 shadowing increase in districts more favorably conditioned or situated, 

 though we should add to this the fact that there has been a corre- 

 sponding change in the kind of wheat used for bread making. The fact 

 that so high a standard is maintained in the wheats of this region in 

 the face of adverse natural conditions, is strong proof of the importance 

 of intelligent wheat culture, particularly in respect to seed selection 

 and the proper treatment of the soil. In some localities of this dis- 

 trict the standard is considerably above what one would expect, while 

 in some other districts it is far below what it should be. 



In the most northern portions of this district spring sowing is almost 

 entirely practiced, and there is a need for hardy winter sorts which 

 will be able to extend the winter-wheat area farther northward. In 

 some localities rust is occasionally very injurious, the black stem rust 

 sometimes completely destroying the crop. Early maturing and rust 

 resistant sorts are therefore desirable for escaping or overcoming the 

 attacks of this parasite. 



