12 



DRY-LAND GRAINS IN THE GREAT BASIN. 



and under wliicli it is better for him to grow a spring wheat than to 

 let his land lie idle for a year. Wlien such an occasion arises it is 

 important to know something of the comparative values of spring 

 varieties. 



Until 1908 only the durum (macaroni) spring varieties were tested 

 on the substation. Tlie average yield of the four tested (the Kahla, 

 Adjini, Medeah, and Mohamed ben Bachir varieties) during the years 

 1904 to 1907 was 12.48 bushels per acre. In 1908 the Kahla and the 

 Medeah were discarded and tlie Kubanka (G. I. No. 1440) was added. 

 In the same year five varieties of common spring wheats were 

 introduced. 



COMMON AND DURUM WHEATS. 



The durum wheats have been found superior to the common spring 

 wheats in a great many arid sections on the Great Plains. The com- 

 mon varieties seem, however, to be better adapted to the conditions 

 at Nephi. The average yield of the durum wheats during the past six 

 years at Nephi is 10.06 bushels per acre. The average yield in 1908 

 and 1909 is 8.84 bushels, while the common varieties during the same 

 two years averaged 13.03 bushels. The comparison of two years' 

 results is not, of course, conclusive. 



COMMON SPRING VARIETIES OF WHEAT. 



The common spring varieties now under test are the Galgalos, the 

 Ghirka Spring, the' New Zealand Spring, and two unnamed varieties 

 from Mexico. With the two years' results obtained it is not possible 

 to determine which is best. The yields of these varieties during 1908 

 and 1909 are given in Table V. 



Table V. — Yield to the acre of five varieties of common spring wheat grown at Nephi, Utah, 



during 1908 and 1909. 



Variety. 



Ghirka Spring 



Galgalos 



Mexican, No. 1 



Mexican, No. 2 



New Zealand Spring 



Yield in 

 1908. 



Bushels. 

 1.3. 33 

 12.00 

 22.66 

 12.66 

 23.25 



Yield in 

 1909. 



Bushels. 

 6.70 

 12. 15 

 10.94 

 14.66 

 13.21 



Average 

 yield. 



Bushels. 

 10.01 

 12.07 

 16.80 

 13.66 

 18.23 



In 1908 tlie New Zealand Spring wheat was grown on soil that had 

 been fallow two years, and hence had presumably some advantage. 

 It is, however, a very good variety and shows considerable drought 

 resistance. The test will have to be continued for a few years more 

 before positive preference can be given, but the results with this 

 variety indicate that it can be grown with a fair degree of success in 

 cases where spring planting is necessary. 



[Cir. 61] 



