HARD AND SOFT WHEAT HI 



II. Durum Wheat Group. Grains free; generally hard and 

 flinty; stems pithy; grown mostly in dry and hot regions (Fig. 43). 

 Used in manufacture of macaroni, etc. 



3. Poulard wheat (T. turgidum) grain sometimes soft; head 

 sometimes branched, as in the miracle variety. 



4. Durum wheat (T. durum), very hard. 



5. Polish wheat (T. Polonicum), large outer glumes. 



III. Spelt Wheat Group. Grains enclosed in glumes; grown 

 some on poor, dry soils (Fig. 44). 



6. Einkorn (T. monococcum), one-grained wheat; head com- 

 pact. 



7. Emmer (T. dicoccum), two-grained wheat; stems pithy; 

 head compact. 



8. Spelt (T. spelta), two-grained; head loose. 



Bread Wheats. In the United States about 95 per cent of the 

 crop belongs to the bread wheats, 5 per cent is durum wheat, and 

 only a small acreage of the spelt group. The regions of wheat pro- 

 duction have already been outlined (p. 106). Bread wheats are 

 classed as winter wheats and spring wheats, also as bald and bearded, 

 but the most important grouping is the commercial grouping ac- 

 cording to color and hardness of the grain. 



Hard and Soft Wheat. In general, the hard wheats are dark 

 in color while the soft wheats are light. The soft wheats when cut 

 in two show a white starchy interior, while hard wheats show no 

 white starch, but, on the contrary, a dark, glassy texture. 



In composition the soft wheats are much lower in gluten and 

 make what is called a " weak " flour. In general, this means they 

 do not make a large, heavy loaf of bread. Soft wheat flours, how- 

 ever, are preferred for certain purposes, as biscuit making or the 

 manufacture of crackers, pies, and confections. 



Hard wheats have more gluten and make a <e strong " flour. 

 Hard wheat flour is especially adapted for making light bread. The 

 strength of flour is mostly due to the gluten, which not only makes 

 the dough elastic but enables the bread to absorb more water, and 

 therefore moister bread. Absorption of water also gives more 

 pounds of bread. A hundred pounds of good strong flour will make 

 120 or more one-pound loaves. This is important to the baker. 



