B. P. I.— 



B. T. E.— 51. 



THE DESCRIPTION OF WHEAT VARIETIES. 



INTRODUCTION. 



The nomenclature of the varieties of wheat now growing in the 

 United States is somewhat tangled. The wheat plant is particularly 

 unstable in type and a change of environment is likely to cause varia- 

 tions and result in plants better fitted to the new conditions. These 

 plants, by producing more seed or seed of better quality, are the 

 more vigorous progenitors, and gradually a complete change of type 

 results. Other causes, such as errors in labeling seed packages for 

 distribution, or the mixture of varieties by machines used in harvest- 

 ing and thrashing, or by slight mixtures from the sacks and bins in 

 which grain is stored, have all aided in bringing about an unfortunate 

 confusion in the names of our standard varieties of wheat. 



The origination of new varieties has also added its share to this 

 confusion. These new varieties may have resulted from accidental 

 or intentional hybridization, or merely by selection on the part of 

 some enthusiast of seed from some plant that has attracted attention. 

 The new variety may resemble one already existing so closely as to 

 be indistinguishable, or it may be an entirely new form. In either 

 case it is probably given a name without being anywhere even 

 vaguely described or registered. The law of the survival of the 

 fittest applies to wheat varieties as to other plants, and the poorer 

 varieties in time give place to better sorts; but unfortunately the 

 name frequently survives and immediately attaches to some other 

 form. 



In all literature regarding variety tests for comparative yield, 

 adaptability, or hardiness, in fact in all discussions regarding wheat 

 varieties, it is necessary to designate each by a name. In order to 

 avoid hopeless confusion in so doing, it is essential that some system 

 be used whereby these names may have a definite meaning; that is, 

 that each name be connected with some one particular variety or type 

 of wheat. This bus been found absolutely necessary with all natural 

 plants and with most of our cultivated horticultural and garden crops. 



In connection with some work on American wheat varieties under- 

 taken for the United States Department of Agriculture, a large num- 

 ber of varieties of wheat were collected from State experiment stations 

 and some other sources with a view to describing and illustrating the 



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