316 



AYheat branches only at the ground, and produces no more heads than 

 stalks. It only sends out these branches early in its growth or dur- 

 ing cool weather and when the growth is comparatively slow. The 

 branching of wheat (called '' tillering "' in the Old World, and '' stock- 

 ing," " stooling," and " tillering " in different sections of this) must 

 take place before the plant attains any considerable height or it does 

 not occur at all. Hence, in climates like those of the Northern and 

 Eastern States this takes place mostly in the spring, and a cool, pro- 

 longed, and rather wet spring is therefore best for the ultimate yield 

 of the crop; the grain then stands heavier on the ground. On the 

 contrary, a warm, rather dry, rapidly growing, and early spring in 

 those parts of the country diminishes the yield of wheat, because of 

 this habit of growth; there are then fewer stalks, and the heads are 

 fewer. Consequently, when from the nature of the season or the 

 general climate of *the region there is an undue tendeuc}^ for the 

 Avheat to shoot up without sufficient branching it is common to check 

 the growth by pasturing off the grain in the early spring, as is a 

 common practice in many of the Southern States. 



In a countrj" of cold winters, for good crops it is better that the 

 ground bo continuously covered with snow. Bare ground, freezing 

 and thawing, now exposed to cold and dry winds and now to warm 

 sunshine, is exceedingly destructive to wheat. It " Avinter-kills "' in 

 two ways — what may be frozen to death by cold, dry winds, or, as is 

 more often the case, particularly on soils rich in vegetable matter, it 

 "heaves out," and by the alternate freezing and thaAving of the sur- 

 face soil the roots are lifted out of the soil and the young plant 

 perishes. The means of guarding against this or of lessening the 

 danger will be spoken of later. 



After the wheat comes in head more sun is needed and less rain. 

 Too much rain, particularly if accompanied with heat, induces rust, 

 juildew, and other diseases, and, on the other hand, too dry Avinds 

 shrink the grain. 



The ideal climate for Avheat is one with a long and rather wet 

 winter, with little or no frost, prolonged into a cool and rather Avet 

 spring, Avhich gradually fades into a Avarmer summer, the Aveatlier 

 groAving gradually drier as it grows warmer, Avith only comparatiA^ely 

 light rains after the blossoming of the crop, just enough to bring the 

 grain to maturity, with abundant sunshine and rather dry air toAvard 

 liie harA^est, but Avithout dry and scorching Avinds until the grain is 

 fulh^ ripe, and then hot, dry. rainless Aveather until the harAx^st is 

 gathered. This ideal is nearer realized in the better years in Cali- 

 fornia than in any part of the United States, and it is there in such 

 years that Ave find the greatest yields knoAvn to tlie country. 



The quality of the grain is largely determined by the climate, a 

 liot, dry, and sunny harA^est time being best for wheat of the first 

 grade. The berry is then brighter, and millers say the quality is bet- 

 ter if the climate has been hot and dry before the harA^est. • The 

 wheat of sunny climates — those of California, Egypt, northern Africa, 

 and similar countries — has ahvays ranked high for quality, and 

 the statement is often made that the Avheat of such climates is also 

 richer in gluten — that is. makes stronger flour — than the Avheat of 

 cooler climates. Of this latter assertion T find no proof from the mod- 

 ern and fuller chemical analyses. The chemical composition depends 



