No. 7. Report of Experiments on Wheat in the State of JV. York. 203 



had it under cultivation, it was equal to the 

 white flint. Since then, in field culture, it 

 has not succeeded as well. The last three 

 years, I have sown it only in my experiment 

 field. Its early maturing would make it 

 valuable. It has not been afl^ected with 

 rust since I had it under cultivation, ripen- 

 ing six or eight days earlier than common 

 varieties. For many years this favourite 

 variety was extensively cultivated in Mary- 

 land and Virginia, and the high credit of 

 their flour was established from this variety 

 of wheat. It has now nearly disappeared 

 there, having given way to more hardy va- 

 rieties, producing flour of inferior quality. 



WheullaHd Red. — This is a new variety, 

 which I originated from the Virginia May. 

 It is a red chaff", bald, heads of medium 

 length, and well filled with a red berry, 

 weighing 66 to the bushel, and producing 

 flour of good quality. This is a very hardy 

 variety; straw of good size and very bright; 

 it has the quality of the Virginia May in 

 its early ripening. It has stood our severe 

 winters as well as the most hardy variety 

 that I have tested. I believe it is one of the 

 most valuable kinds that can be introduced 

 on soils where other varieties are subject to 

 rust. The four years that I have tested it, 

 it has had no appearance of rust. Its red 

 berry is objectionable. I know of no red 

 wheat that is equal to the white in quality 

 or quantity of its flour; the bran being 

 thicker, and will not admit of being ground 

 as close. 



Tuscan Bald. — This variety was brought 

 from Tuscany to New York, in 1837. I 

 first sowed it in 1839. This is a bald, white 

 chafl^, berry large and white. On the first 

 introduction, it was supposed to be a valua- 

 ble variety. If it had been sufliciently hardy 

 to have withstood the hard winters, it might 

 have proved so, as its large heads were well 

 filled, and the wheat gave flour of a fine 

 quality and fair quantity. Its being so liable 

 to be winter-killed, caused it to be laid 

 aside. 



Tuscan Bearded. — This was from the 

 same source as the above : it is a bearded 

 wheat, heads very large, and beard stiff"; the 

 berry shorter than the bald Tuscan and 

 larger, very white; a fiiir wheat for flour; 

 straw very stifle, and of a blue shade; it is 

 not as hardy as the bald : most of it was 

 winter-killed. After a trial of three years, 

 I have rejected it. 



Yorkshire. — This variety was introduced 

 from England into New York, about ten 

 years since. I have cultivated it for several 

 years. For some years it was held in high 

 repute, but it has now nearly disappeared. 

 It appeared to be a mixed variety of^ white 



and red chaff; bald; straw long and stiff; 

 heads long and well filled, with a beautiful 

 white berry. Yielded flour well and of good 

 quality. Ripened late, more subject to rust, 

 and more injured by insects, than some other 

 varieties. When it did well, the yield was 

 heavy, but it was very subject to smut, and 

 the only variety that ever produced the ergot 

 with me. 



Bellevire Talavera. — This I received di- 

 rect from England, and have sown it four 

 years. It is a white chafl^, bald-headed; 

 straw large and long, and very white and 

 stiff'. It has not lodged with me; spreads or 

 tillers well; is not sufficiently hardy to stand 

 severe winters; is more subject to the in- 

 sect than common varieties. 



This has been one of the varieties culti- 

 vated in England and Scotland, where it is 

 said to be one of the earliest lo ripen; while 

 here it may be called a late ripening wheat. 

 Its large, long, and well filled heads, with a 

 most beautiful berry, would make it a valu- 

 able variety, if it could be acclimated. So 

 far, it has not equalled some other varieties 

 in quantity, owing to being thinned by in- 

 sects and severe winters. 



Pegglesham. — This is an English variety, 

 introduced here in 1840, direct from Eng- 

 land. White chaff", bald, straw short, and 

 heads very large and clumped: the kernels 

 set in very thick: the upper end of the head 

 the largest; the berry medium size and 

 white. With me it has not proved hardy; 

 very subject to lodge, the heads appear too 

 heavy for the straw. The winters are too 

 hard for it. I have rejected it. 



Golden Drop. — An English variety, red 

 chaff, bald ; long straw, large and stiff". This 

 is more hardy than most of the English va- 

 rieties. The berry being red, bran thick, 

 not yielding flour equal to the common va- 

 rieties, is a strong objection to its culture in 

 this vicinity. I have given up its culture, 

 believing it does not come up to many of the 

 varieties I have had under cultivation. 



Skinner Wheat. — This variety was ob- 

 tained by selecting the heads from a single 

 stool ill a field in this town, by a man whose 

 name it bears, about fifteen years since. \t 

 is a white chaff, bearded, straw short and 

 very stiff*; berry red, of good size, weighing 

 64 lbs. to the bushel: this is very hardy, and 

 has been sought for to sow after corn, and 

 on light soils. Its long stiff' beards, and 

 stiff straw, and late ripening, are objections 

 to its culture. For a number of years it was 

 considerably cultivated in this section, on 

 good soils, and it has given some heavy 

 yields; but it has latterly given way for 

 more approved varieties. 



Mediterranean. — This variety was intro- 



