TESTS OF DEPARTMENT SEEDS. 411 



grains have stimulated into exercise the care and ambition of farmers 

 in the direction of seed-selection and careful cultivation. 



Great difficulty has been experienced in securing a reliable spring- 

 wheat, either in this country or from Europe. A trial of wheats raised 

 in Oregon, and kno'^n by the names of Red and White Australian, has 

 been made in several sections of the Union, but without results to war- 

 rant the continuance of their distribution. It has been found that the 

 wheats of the Pacific slope are not well adapted to the Atlantic. Cer- 

 tainly the most reliable spring-wheat up to this time sent out, and the 

 best suited to our wide latitude, is the Aruautka. In view of these 

 facts, its farther distribution in those localities most suitable for its 

 propagation has been determined upon, and a new importation ordered. 



Tlie introduction of several foreign winter-wheats has not been at- 

 tended with any considerable success, those from England especially. 

 While doing fakly in isolated instances, the weight of experiments has 

 been against them as wheats calculated for a wide distribution. Among 

 these may be named the Eough Chaff, the Talavera, an Italian wheat 

 which flourished well in England, and the Polish, which also succeeded 

 well there. The importations were made in 1868 ; but, after repeated 

 trials, the further distribution of these varieties was discontinued. 



Among the wheats more recently introduced, and now upon trial, is 

 the EuLTZ. It is deemed advisable to state more at length the result 

 of experiments made with this and other cereals more recently intro- 

 duced, up to this time received. 



A historical note of the origin of this wheat was made in the report 

 of the Department for 1871. Satisfied by personal inspection of the 

 grain, and by well-authenticated facts, as to its successful culture in 

 its original locality, that it was a cereal of more than ordinary merit, 

 the Commissioner determined to put it upon trial in the winter- wheat- 

 growing sections of the country. A distribution in small quantities, for 

 experimental purposes, was accordingly made in 1871. The almost uni- 

 form success attending experiments warranted a further distribution in 

 1872. It was desired especially to add an impulse to wheat-culture in 

 the Southern States by furnishing an early, hardy, prolific, and reliable 

 variety, calculated to inspire confidence and stimulate endeavor. The 

 results of experiments have more than equaled expectation. In the 

 experiments which are noted it must be borne in mind that they are, as 

 a general thing, conducted with more than ordinary care, on small plots, 

 and yields per acre are rated. The yields in some cases may appear 

 unusually large. It is a question for determination by farmers them- 

 selves whether or not they can make it '^pay " to expend upon a large 

 tract the same energy and skill and a proportional time — raising the pro- 

 ductiveness of their fields from 10 and 12 bushels, or even less, to double 

 or more. 



As shown hj the report of the Department for 1871, the wheat-pro- 

 duct of that year in the Southern States, (exclusive of Florida and 

 Louisiana, where wheat is not as a crop grown,) averaged a little more 

 than 8 bushels per acre. 



In the light of the experiments with the Fultz wheat reported from a 

 majority of the States of the South, the yield rarely falling below 20" 

 bushels per acre, and generallj^ touching much higher figures, the great 

 possibilities of wheat-culture in that section of our country are appar- 

 ent, when the conditions of intelligent preparation of soils, the sowing 

 of seeds of ascertained excellence, and faithful eftbrt are complied with. 



Experiments iritli Fultz. — In Baltimore County, Maryland, the yield 

 was double, compared to the standard variety, Mediterranean. It stood 



