38 



in the United States, necessarily all seed was originally brought from 

 other regions. At first, the territor}^ being limited and the demands 

 of the people comparatively simple, ver}?^ few varieties were sufficient; 

 but as the country rapidly developed and new territory was from time 

 to time added and thrown open to settlement, new and varied condi- 

 tions of soil and climate were encountered, and to meet the require- 

 ments of these new conditions other new and different varieties 

 became necessary in order for the best success. 



INTRODUCTION OF NEW VARIETIES. 



A full history of the introduction of new varieties of wheat into this 

 country, and from one section of the country to another, Avould be a 

 matter of much interest but can not be attempted here. Only a few 

 of the most important instances will be mentioned — those that mark 

 real epochs in the development of our wheat industiy, and have in cer- 

 tain localities entirely revolutionized wheat culture. 



By far the most important among the earliest varieties introduced is 

 the Mediterranean wheat, obtained first in 1819 from the islands of the 

 Mediterranean Sea. At various times after that date this Department 

 secured seed of the same variety and distributed it to all parts of the 

 country. It soon met with favor everywhere. It is a hard}^, bearded 

 variet}'^, productive, and producing a large red grain of good milling 

 quality. But more than all this it was found to be quite resistant to 

 rust and to damage by the Hessian fly, two enemies of the wheat crop 

 which had already begun to be very much dreaded. This wheat has 

 maintained its excellence through all decades since, and is to-day one 

 of the most popular varieties in certain States, particularh" Texas. It 

 has also been used as a parent of several very valuable hybrids. 



A most interesting example of improvements that are possible in the 

 adoption of varieties best adapted to a particular region is found in 

 the Fife wheats of Canada and the Northern States of the Plains. 

 These varieties, which have become the basis of the great wheat and 

 flour production of the Northwest, originated, according to the Cana- 

 dian Agriculturist of 1891, in the following manner: 



Mr. David Fife, of the township of Otonabee, Canada West, now Ontario, pro- 

 cured through a friend in ( ilasgow, Scotland, a quantity of wheat which had been 

 obtained from a cargo direct from Dantzic. As it came to liand just before spring 

 seed time, and not knowing whether it was a fall or spring variety, Mr. Fife con- 

 cluded to sow a part of it that spring and wait for the result. It jjroved to be a fall 

 wheat as it never ripened, except three ears, which grew apparently from a single 

 grain. These were preserved, and although sown the next year under very unfavor- 

 able circumstances, being (juite late and in a shady place, it proved at harvest to be 

 entirely free from rust when all wheat in the neighborhood was badly rusted. The 

 produce of this was carefully preserved, and from it sprang the variety of wheat 

 known over Canada and the Northern States by the different names of Fife, Scotch, 

 and Glasgow. 



If the above is an accurate statement of the introduction of Fife 

 wheats, indications are rather strong that the}' are of Russian origin, 



