LOCALITY AND COMPOSITION 273 
The results are striking and convincing. The origi- 
nal seed grown in Kansas in 1905 contained 16.22 per 
cent of protein. The 1906 crop grown from this 
seed in Kansas contained 19.13 per cent protein; in 
California, 10.38 percent; and in Texas, 12.18 per cent. 
In 1907 the crop harvested in Kansas from the 1906 
seed from these widely separated places and of very 
different composition contained uniformly some- 
what more than 22 per cent of protein; harvested in 
California, somewhat more than 11 per cent; and 
harvested in Texas, about 18 per cent. In short, 
the composition of wheat kernels is independent of the 
composition of the seed or the nature of the soil, but 
depends primarily upon the prevailing climatic con- 
ditions, including the water supply. The weight of 
the wheat per bushel, that is, the average size and 
weight of the wheat kernel, and also the hardness or 
flinty character of the kernels, were strongly affected 
by the varying climatic conditions. It is generally 
true that dry-farm grain weighs more per bushel than 
grain grown under humid conditions; hardness usu- 
ally accompanies a high protein content and is there- 
fore characteristic of dry-farm wheat. These notable 
lessons teach the futility of bringing in new seed 
from far distant places in the hope that better and 
larger crops may be secured. The conditions under 
which growth occurs determine chiefly the nature of 
the crop. It is a common experience in the West 
that farmers who do not understand this principle 
T 
