WHEAT. 265 



Among the many varieties of both winter and spring wheat, which have been most pop 

 ular, may be mentioned the White Mediterranean, Red Mediterranean, Diehl, Fife, Silver 

 Chaff, Treadwell, Fultz, German Amber, Clawson, White Russian, Champlain, Defiance, etc. 

 Among the later spring varieties above mentioned, are the Champlain, Defiance, and White 

 Russian; those of the winter varieties are the Fultz and Clawson, although neither of the 

 previously-mentioned are of so late an origin but that they have been tested for several years 

 by cultivation. Besides these, the &quot; Golden Grains &quot; is a very hardy and productive variety, 

 suited to either spring or fall sowing, and is one of the largest-grained wheats known. It 

 grows with a beard until it begins to ripen, after which the beard falls off. It can be suc 

 cessfully cultivated as either winter or spring wheat in the Western States, but does best as 

 a winter wheat in the Eastern section of the country. 



Some kinds will do best in one section, and others in another, and we doubt whether any 

 variety will ever be produced that will thrive equally well in all localities. 



The soft, plump-berried varieties are frequently found the most productive, and for this 

 reason are much in favor with those farmers who would naturally think more of quantity than 

 quality. The flinty and glutinous varieties make the best flour, especially where that which 

 is called the &quot; new process &quot; milling is employed, and consequently flinty varieties are more 

 popular with the millers. 



Wheat that is cut early makes not only whiter flour, but flour that contains more starch 

 in proportion to the gluten than that made from wheat which is harvested after becoming 

 fully ripe. The microscope reveals the fact that the starch and gluten are not formed in the 

 grain at precisely the same period, the starch-cells in the interior of the grain-kernel being 

 filled with starch-granules several days before the gluten-cells (which are next to the bran) 

 are quite filled. For this reason, wheat that is allowed to get as rips as possible, to avoid 

 waste, makes better flour, because it contains more gluten, although it is not quite as white as 

 from wheat that is early cut. The quality of the grain is somewhat modified by the soil ; if 

 the soil be a moist clay and other conditions favorable, the berry will be plump and soft, while 

 a dry sandy soil will produce a smaller but harder kernel, a better quality, but less in quantity. 



The Defiance, Champlain, Silver Chaff, Treadwell, and White Russian are hardy varie 

 ties, and will thrive well at the North, while the Clawson, Fultz, as well as the German 

 Amber, and several others, have proved varieties for successful cultivation at the South. 



The Fife is very successfully cultivated in some portions of Canada; it has a hard, plump 

 kernel of a reddish color, and is very productive and hardy. 



The White Mediterranean is a spring variety; it is bearded, with large kernels, and 

 yields well. 



The Red Mediterranean is a winter variety, with heads bearded, ripening early. It is 

 very glutinous and is quite popular in the Middle States, but it has one objectionable feature, 

 and that is, in the straw not being stiff enough to bear up under a very heavy crop, and in 

 consequence this grain is liable to become lodged in the field. 



The Diehl is a winter variety, grain white; it is a bald wheat, prolific and hardy. 



The Fultz is classed among winter wheats, and is beardless, of an amber color, and yields 

 largely. The German Amber is also of a similar tint, and is quite a favorite in some of the 

 Southern States. 



The Clawson (sometimes known as Seneca) is a winter wheat; it is smooth and white, 

 with red chaff, and is early and hardy, bearing a stiff straw and large crops, and is adapted to 

 either the North or South. 



The White Russian, as its name indicates, was imported from Russia. It is not exactly 

 a white wheat, but of much lighter color than most of the other spring varieties. It is bald, 

 with white chaff, the kernels being quite plump. 



The Champlain is a bearded wheat with white chaff, and is quite free from rust or smut; 

 the straw is strong and vigorous, and grows higher than most other varieties, with very large, 

 full heads. 



