33 



The special qualities of value belonging to Polish wheat are similar 

 to those of the durum group, and are as follows: 



(1) Quality of gluten content for making macaroni. 



(2) Resistance to drought. 



(3) Eesistance to orange leaf rust. 



SPELT (T. spelta). 



This and the two following species are in several respects very dif- 

 ferent from any of the preceding groups. They are also not widely 

 cultivated, although more commonly grown than Polish wheat, and are 

 used only to a very limited extent for human food. Nevertheless, in 

 the intercrossing of wheat groups for the improvement of our bread 

 wheats some very valuable qualities may be obtained from varieties of 

 these species. 



The varieties of this group are called spelt in English, Sj)eh in Ger- 

 man, and ejpeautre in French. In Germany the old name Dinkel is 

 also sometimes applied. The varieties often called spelt in this coun- 

 try and Russia are not spelt, but emmer (T. dicoccurii). 



The spelt plant (Plate VII) grows to the average height of wheat, 

 or perhaps a little higher, and possesses a hollow stem. The leaves 

 are of ordinary size, usuall}'^ smooth, but sometimes with scattering 

 hairs; heads loose, narrow, and rather long, bearded or bald, espe- 

 cially characterized by a very brittle rachis, allowing them to be easily 

 broken in pieces in thrashing. The spikelets are usually far apart in 

 the head, arched on the inner side, and contain usually two grains; 

 outer chaflf oval, four-angled, boat-shaped, and only slightly keeled; 

 grains light red in color, somewhat compressed at the sides, with a 

 narrow furrow, the walls of the furrow flattened, and with sharp 

 edges. The grain is always held tightly within the chatf, and can not 

 be hulled in thrashing. 



Spelt is used very little for human food, but is generally fed to stock. 

 It is very important, however, for certain portions of our country, at 

 least, to obtain for the bread wheats the particular quality of this 

 group of holding the grain tenacioush'. This can readil}' be done, as 

 the Garton Brothers have amply demonstrated in England, by inter- 

 crossing varieties of the two groups. For certain varieties that would 

 otherwise be of great value in the Pacific Coast and Rocky Mountain 

 States such an improvement of preventing shattering at harvest is the 

 most important that can be made. The few varieties possessing this 

 (jualit}^ that are now grown in these districts are sometimes not desira- 

 ble in other respects. At the same time complaint is oft(Mi made that 

 c(M-tain introduced varieties which are most excellent from the stand- 

 l)()int of yielding capacity and hardiness are rendered worthless because 

 of the irreat loss from shatterino-. It has also been observed bv certain 

 experimenters that the (juality of constant fertility, or of producing 

 487'J— No. 24 3 



