242 THE WHEAT PLANT 



grown ; at the present time only one or two forms of Rivet wheat are 

 found on farms in this country, and these only on comparatively small 

 areas, chiefly in the southern counties. Their high yield will, however, 

 always attract attention, and there is some likelihood of their being in- 

 creasingly grown in the future on this account. 



In Germany this race is termed " English Wheat " ; under the name 

 Ble* Poulard it is met with in France, but the home of Rivet wheat is in 

 the countries bordering the Mediterranean. It is especially frequent in 

 Spain and Portugal and Italy, but several forms are grown in lesser degree 

 in Bulgaria, Greece, and Turkey. It is also cultivated extensively in the 

 Provinces of Tiflis and Baku in Transcaucasia, and in smaller amount in 

 Turkestan and Siberia ; Howard records its occurrence in Baluchistan, 

 but I have not seen specimens. 



Small areas are occasionally devoted to this wheat in Australia, Canada, 

 the United States, South Africa, Chili, and Algeria. 



I have no specimens nor records of its cultivation from India, China, 

 Japan, or Abyssinia. 



Although some of the red and blue-black velvet-chaffed varieties can 

 be cultivated as winter wheats in the south of England, France, and 

 Germany without much risk in ordinary seasons, the majority of the Rivet 

 wheats are delicate and easily damaged, or destroyed altogether by hard 

 frosts or continued rain. 



They are practically immune to rust fungi. I have never seen a field 

 crop nor yet a small plot or row of any variety of T. turgidum attacked on 

 ordinary cultivated soils in this country, but in 1908 I observed an exten- 

 sive invasion of yellow rust (Puccinia glumarum) on Blue Cone wheat 

 (T. turgidum, var. iodurum) sown late in spring on a small plot of highly 

 manured ground, which had been trenched 3 feet deep. 



Their tall straw is strong, the crop rarely lodges, and the stiff awned 

 ears are not readily damaged by sparrows and other birds. 



The varieties grown in England have very narrow blue-green leaves, 

 which lie close to the ground during winter ; in February, when ordinary 

 varieties of T. vulgare usually exhibit a vigorous growth of leafy shoots 

 2 or 3 inches high, Rivet wheats have a disappointing appearance, and the 

 farmer who is not familiar with their habit is inclined to plough them up 

 at this season. They should, however, be left, for their progress later 

 invariably compensates for the apparent lack of vigour in the early stages 

 of their development. 



The productive power of most varieties of T. turgidum is greater than 

 that of any other race of wheat when the soil is suitable and the climate 

 allows of a long growing period for the crop. 



Their high grain-yielding capacity is correlated with the long vegetative 

 period of the plants, the usual possession of six or seven green leaves on 



