CLASSIFICATION OF AMERICAN WHEAT VARIETIES. 197 



Distribution. — Grown in experiments at Arlington Experimental Farm, Va., 

 and by the Washington station, Pullman, Wash. It is known to be com- 

 mercially grown to a slight extent. 



RED WINTER. 



Description. — Plant winter habit, late, midtall ; stem faintly purple, strong; 

 spike awnless, linear-fusiform, lax, erect; glumes glabrous, brown, midlong to 

 long, wide; shoulders wide, square; beaks obtuse, 0.5 mm. long; apical awns 

 few, 3 to 20 mm. long; kernels red, long, soft, humped, curved, usually in- 

 closed in glumes; germ small; crease wide, shallow; cheeks angular; brush 

 midsized, long. 



This variety differs from Alstroum spelt in having brown glumes. A spike, 

 glumes, a spikelet, and kernels of Red Winter spelt are shown in Plate LIX, B. 



History. — Red Winter spelt was first obtained by the United States Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture in 1901 from the Washington Agricultural Experiment 

 Station. Its further history is undetermined. Many samples of this and 

 other spelt varieties doubtless have been introduced into the United States 

 from time to time. A sample of spelt practically identical with the above 

 was introduced from Switzerland about 1913 by Paul Scheddiger, of Spear- 

 fish, S. Dak., and was distributed by him in 1915. Most of this winterkilled 

 during the next two winters, which were unusually severe. 



Distribution. — Formerly grown to a small extent in South Dakota and 

 Wyoming. Now grown only by experiment stations. 



Description. — Plant winter habit, late, midtall; stem faintly purple, strong; 

 spike awned, linear fusiform, lax, erect; glumes glabrous, yellowish, midlong, 

 midwide; shoulders wide, apiculate; beaks wide, acute, 0.5 mm. long; awns 

 yellowish, 2 to 10 cm. long; kernels red, large, soft, curved, humped, usually 

 inclosed in glumes ; germ small ; crease wide, shallow, pitted ; cheeks angular ; 

 brush midsized, long. 



History. — Same as Alstroum. 



Distribution. — Grown in experiments at Arlington Experimental Farm, Va. 

 Not known to be commercially grown. 



POLISH WHEAT. 



Polish wheat has a spring habit, tall stems, and a pithy peduncle. 

 The spike is awned, large, and lax. The glumes are papery, an 

 inch or more long, and narrow. The length of the glume equals 

 or exceeds the length of the lemmas. The kernel is long and narrow, 

 sometimes nearly a half inch long, hard, and has a shape somewhat 

 similar to that of a kernel of rye. 



Polish wheat usually yields less than other adapted varieties. It 

 also is of inferior value for bread or macaroni manufacture. Under 

 other names it is frequently sold at a high price for seed by un- 

 scrupulous seedsmen. Only one variety of Polish wheat is grown 

 in the United States. The characters of this variety are shown in 



the following key : 



