CEREAL ADAPTATION AND ASSOCIATION 289 



the home of the red oats, such as Algerian Red and va- 

 rieties from Asia Minor. It also ranks third as a durum 

 wheat region. There are also many drought-resistant 

 barleys. As there is much high temperature and the 

 winters are mild, there are no strictly winter varieties. 



307. Abyssinia. Many of the cereals of Abyssinia 

 are distinct from those of any other region. Purple- 

 kerneled wheats exist there, but are found nowhere else. 

 There are also emmers having purple kernels, and purple- 

 glumed and black-kerneled barleys not found elsewhere. 

 Distinct hairy oat varieties, drought-resistant, also occur. 

 These peculiar forms, locally adapted, appear to have 

 developed through a long period of isolation and freedom 

 from mixtures with foreign varieties. 



308. South Africa. In South Africa there are large 

 districts adapted for cereals, but the country is newly 

 settled, and cereals are being introduced there from 

 Australia and other regions. In general, the cereal 

 varieties adapted are such as are grown in our North 

 Central states or in west Russia. Certain districts, how- 

 ever, have little rainfall, and require drought-resistant 

 varieties. The topography and rainfall distribution are 

 such that winter cereals are grown toward the south and 

 not toward the north as would be expected. 



309. Australasia. In the case of Australasia, includ- 

 ing Australia, New Zealand, and Tasmania, practically 

 an entire continent is adapted for cereal cultivation. 

 Large districts in South and West Australia are very 

 dry, and therefore require durum wheats and other dry 

 land cereals. No winter cereals proper are adapted. 

 Earliness is a general characteristic. Wheats similar to 

 those in California are well adapted, and oats of the 

 sterilis group. 



u 



