62 



from Kursk. As will ))e seen in the table, all samples from this 

 locality not only show a very large per cent of gluten, >)ut also a per 

 cent always far above that of other samples of the same varieties from 

 other localities. The Kursk samples are uniformly so superior in 

 this respect that one naturally looks about for an explanation. The 

 matter is no doul)t to be explained in this way: It is a fact already 

 discussed by the writer in another i)ublication' of this Department 

 and referred to before in this })ulletin that the nitroo-en content of the 

 gi'am is greatest in regions having black soils, extremes of temperature, 

 and very low rainfall. In Russia extreme heat and aridity increase 

 eastward and southward as a rule. The government of Kursk, how- 

 ever, presents a remarkable exception to this rule, especialh' as regards 

 rainfall. The normal yearly rainfall is 16.9 inches, while in Woronetz, 

 Tambov, and Ekaterinoslav, east and south of it, the normal is 21 and 

 22 inches. It is apparently situated in an arid area, with greater rain- 

 fall all around it. At the same time the extremes of temperature are 

 great and the soil is of the best in the ''Chernozem"" (black earth) 

 region. 



As before stated, all the experiments and ()l)servations which form 

 the basis of this table have been made with the view of obtaining some 

 reliable foundation for future wheat improvement. The general con- 

 clusions of immediate value to the wheat growers that are to be drawn 

 from this work of the Department, and which are of rather wide 

 application, maj' be stated as follows: 



(1) Considering all qualities, the best wheats in the world are of 

 Russian origin, coming particularly from eastern and southern Russia. 

 They are resistant to cold and drought, are more or less resistant to 

 leaf rust, and have the best (pialit}- of grain. They are fairly earh^ 

 in ripening and are good fielders. Under the head of remarks the 

 jnelds per acre of several newly introduced Russian sorts in Kansas 

 and Colorado are given in the table. For varieties not yet acclimated 

 it will l)e seen that these 3nelds are very good. The yields and weights 

 per bushel in Colorado are furnished bj' W. F. Crawle}^, superintendent 

 of the Arkansas Valley Experiment Station at Rocky ford in 1897. 

 The following may be considered as the best Russian varieties so far 

 known: Arnautka, Kul)anka. Kubanka Red Winter, Crimean. Sando- 

 mir. ITka. Chernokoloska. Buivola, Red Winter, Bearded Winter, Yx, 

 Odessa, Sarui-bug-dai, Ghirka Spring, Ghirka Winter. Russian, Belo- 

 turka. Mennonite, and Turkey. (See Plate VIII, Fig. 1.) 



(2) The earliest ripening wheats are often dwarfed and come princi- 

 pally from India, Australia, and Japan, though a few are from the 

 ^Mediterranean region. They are usually soft white wheats, but those 

 from Japan are red, rather hardy, and possess a fair gluten content. 



' Russian cereals adapted for cultivation in the United States, Bui. No. 23, Div. 

 Bot., pp. 8-11. 



