208 



SMALL GRAINS 



Kinds of Wheat. From the grower's standpoint there are 

 two main types of wheat winter wheat and spring wheat. 

 Commercially wheat is always classified as hard and soft. As 

 both winter and spring wheat have hard and soft varieties, two 

 other commercial classes are added. Subdivisions of these groups 

 are sometimes made (Fig. 148). The well known market types 

 are: Hard winter wheat, semi-hard winter wheat, soft winter 

 wheat, macaroni wheat, hard spring wheat, and soft spring wheat. 

 The map, figure 149 shows the distribution of the different types 

 of wheat. Winter varieties are usually grown in southern and 

 middle latitudes while spring wheat is grown in northern latitudes. 

 In humid regions wheat is usually soft, the hardness depending 



FIG. 150. Wide grain d 



ill drawn by tour heavy 

 farms in the grain belt. 



orses. It is well 

 (I. H. Co.) 



the large 



upon the dryness of the climate. Very hard spring wheat is grown 

 in the cold, dry regions of the northwest. Wheats suitable for 

 macaroni are the hardest varieties. Durum wheat is the leading 

 one of this type. Its recent introduction to America has ex- 

 tended the wheat growing areas farther into the semi-arid regions. 

 Durum wheat can be grown with less rainfall than other varieties. 

 In the middle latitudes both spring and winter varieties are grown, 

 but the winter varieties are preferable. The yield is usually high, 

 because the crop can make use of the winter rainfall, and harvest 

 will take place before the extreme dry weather of midsummer. 

 Winter wheat furnishes a cover for the soil for a much longer 

 period. Some temporary pasture is furnished to stock, and the 



