186 • RURAL MICHIGAN 



up well, of soft straw, not apt to rust, with long 

 heads, bowing down, filled with a large, white, plump 

 berry, surpassing in beauty all other kinds while 

 standing in the field ready for the reaper. The most 

 recent variety of wheat to win favor among Michi- 

 gan farmers is that known as Eed Eock, reported to 

 have had its origin from an individual kernel selected 

 from a white Plymouth Rock wheat, and which was 

 planted at the Experiment Station of the Michigan 

 Agricultural College in the autumn of 1908. This 

 i^ a bearded red wheat having also a red chaff. The 

 qualities claimed for Red Rock wheat are exceptional 

 winter hardiness, high yield, extra stiff straw, and 

 those characteristics that yield a bread far above 

 that usually produced from Michigan-grown wheat.^ 

 This wheat is reported to have withstood ice condi- 

 tions during the winter better than other varieties, 

 to have righted itself well after lodging, to be un- 

 usually rich in protein content, and to outweigh 

 the official standard bushel of sixty pounds. It has 

 been grown in the Upper Peninsula with very satis- 

 factory results. 



Climatic conditions in the southern portion of the 

 Lower Peninsula are favorable to the growing of 

 corn ; but to the northward the season is normally 

 too short and the temperature too low for the suc- 

 cessful maturing of the grain, although at intervals 

 fully ripened corn is secured as far north as Lake 

 Superior and corn for forage is commonly produced 

 throughout the State. The light sandy soil fre- 



J'^Rept. Mich. Bd. Agr.," 1917, 659, 



