44 SOUTHERN FIELD CROPS 



color of grain ; l)y the color of chaff ; by the presence oi 

 absence of hairs (" velvet ") on the chaff; by the height 

 of straw; by the time of maturity; and by other char- 

 acters. Hence, it is evident that a variety cannot be iden- 

 tified merely by an inspection of the grain itself. Indeed, 

 positive identification of the variety is almost impossible, 

 even when the mature plants are examined in the field. 

 Yet it is important that growers keep each variety pure, to 

 insure uniformity in ripening and in quality of grain, and 

 in order to propagate only the best varieties. 



46. Qualities desired in varieties for the South. — The 

 qualities chiefly desired in varieties of wheat for the South 

 are the following : — 



(1) High yield. 



(2) Rust-resistance, and earliness, as a means of mini- 

 mizing the injury from rust. 



(.3) Resistance to drought, though marked differences 

 in this respect among American varieties ha^'e not been 

 demonstrated. 



(4) More than the average percentage of protein, and 

 good qualit)' of the flour produced. 



47. Improvement of varieties. — Wheat can readily be 

 improved liy selecting for seed the best individual plants ; 

 for example, those affording a larger yield than other plants 

 having an equal amount of space and fertilizer, or those 

 most resistant to rust, or the earliest productive plants. 

 Improvement will be more rapid if farmers specially in- 

 terested in breeding up their wheat would set apart small 

 areas, for use as Ijreeding nurseries, where the seed from 

 each selected plant could lie sown in a separate row. The 

 seed from the best of these rows should be planted the next 



