THe JOURNAL 



OF 



LIBRARY 



JEW YORK 



0aRU6N. 



"^fie department of Mgncufture. 



Vol. VII. Part 5. loth May, 1909. 



WHEAT IMPROVEMENT COMMITTEE.* 



I.— PROLIFICACY OF WHEAT. 



H . Pyc, Principal, Dookic AgnciiUitral College. 



In the opinion of wheat grO'wers, the one quality that sho'uld stand pre- 

 eminent in order that a variety may be popular is that of prolificacy. At 

 the present time, provided the grain is marketable in appearance, the 

 quality or flour-making properties of a variety does not receive the con- 

 sideration that it should ; still, indications point to the fact that more and 

 more importance is being attached to the quality of the grain as a factor in 

 its commercial success. 



It does not, however, follow that a cast iron rule should be laid down, 

 since climatic and other en\ironal conditions must be considered. Thus, 

 the vigneron of high altitudes and poor soils cannot generally be expected 

 to make classic Ports and Sherries, any more than can the vignerons of hot 

 districts be expected to hold the market for such light and delicate wines 

 as Chablis and Moselle. The cool and hot districts respectively may pro- 

 duce wines of a high type, but wines are practicallv peculiar to given 

 climatic conditions. Thus, wines from a hot district are often branded 

 Chablis ; but they should not, with rare exceptions, be classed as such, 

 being in reality only substitutes Vignerons differentiate when selling wine 

 for distillation. They expect a higher price for a wine containing 28 per 

 cent, of proof spirit than for one containing 20 per cent., and the distiller 

 is willing to pay the higher price just as the dair^' factorv manager pays 

 a higher price for milk containing a high percentage of butter fat than for 

 that containing a low percentage. This is equitable, both to the producer 

 and to the buyer ; and the consumer reaps the benefit, as it tends to cheapen 

 ^^his food by encouraging the breeding of cows that will supplv more butter 

 c:;fat from the same ^dven amount of food of similar qualitv. On the other 

 ^hand, wine not sold for distillation is not sold according to its spirit-con- 

 ,^tent but according to its bouquet, fla\oiir. and other qualities that make it 

 cvopleasant to the taste. 



Xow, wine has a limited claim on the masses, as it is usuallv bevond 

 — ,their means. With bread, however, the case is different; hence the 



* The report of the Whear, Iniiirox eiiient Committee was published in the April Journal. 

 4595. K 



