18 



the cases of winter wheat sowing- as against spring wheat sowing were 

 much fewer than at present. Now the hard red-grained varieties are 

 principal!}' used, and only in Iowa and Nebraska are spring varieties 

 grown to any extent. The introduction of these hard-grained winter 

 sorts has added remarkably to the certainty and value of the wheat 

 crop, and has greatly decreased the ravages from rust and chinch 

 bugs. 



Such improvements are after all l:)ut fairly begun, and there is yet 

 great demand for hai'd-grained sorts and varieties that will resist the 

 winters of Iowa and Nebraska. As the wheat area extends farther 

 westward — to the one hundredth meridian and beyond — there is also 

 a special need for drought-resistant sorts. In fact, in this and the dis- 

 trict just described there is the most exacting demand of the entire 

 country for hardy varieties. The extreme severit}^ of the drought 

 and winter cold combined forms a greater obstacle to winter wheat cul- 

 ture than exists in any other district. The average j^ield per acre is 

 alwa3's low, but the problem in a considerable portion of the region 

 is not so much to increase the yielding power per acre as to make 

 sure of a crop every year, since there are so man}^ complete failures 

 from drought. A constant average of even 12 to 15 bushels per acre 

 from year to year would be considered good.^ 



Early maturity is of importance in this district in order to allow 

 an escape from the worst eflects of the drought in the western portion 

 and from the rust in the eastern portion. Rust resistance is also 

 important, but not so much so as in States east of the Mississippi 

 River. 



SUMMARY OF CONDITIONS AND NEEDS OF THE DISTRICT. 



(1) Chief varieties at present grown: 



Turkey, -^J^ay, 



Fulcaster, Zimmerman, 



Fultz. 



(2) Average yield per acre, alj(jut 12| bushels. 



(3) Needs of the grower: 



(a) Hardy winter varieties. 



(b) Drought resistance. 



(c) Early maturity. 



DURUM WHEAT DISTRICT. 



The area contained in this district is comparativelj^ small and 

 includes a large part of north-central Texas, the southwestern portion 

 of Oklahoma, and a small portion of the southwest corner of Kansas. 

 It also properly includes a portion of Colorado, but can not be so 

 indicated on the map, as the particular portion is not yet definitely 

 outlined. Some of this region (southwestern Oklahoma) has only 



^ The problem of successful wheat growing in arid regions is receiving .earnest 

 consideration and will be discussed in a later publication. 



