DRY FARMING CONGRESS. 



93 



The Hard Spring Wheat Groups. 



The hard spring wheat belt is included in the states of North Dakota 

 and South Dakota and a portion of Northwestern Nebraska. This section 

 can also be considered as the home of the durum wheats in the United 

 States. It is here that they flourish best and are grown most extensively. 

 The two most prominent varieties of common wheat grown here are 

 Blue Stem and Red Fife. These two varieties and the durums are the 

 principal wheats grown in the section. The milling quality of Fife and 

 Blue Stem is considered to be superior to that of all other grains. The 

 grains known as "No. 1 Hard" and "No. 1 Northern" come from these 

 two types, and they always bring the highest price on the market. The 

 Fife is a native of Russia and is sometimes called "Scotch Fife," but we 

 should not think from this that the variety originated in Scotland. The 

 growing of winter wheat has, as yet, not been practicable in this area, 

 because of the long, severe winters, light fall precipitation, and severe 

 alternate freezing and thawing winters. We hope, however, through the 

 development of some hardy types to extend the winter wheat district as 

 far as possible, since we know the great value of growing winter wheats 

 wherever possible. 



The Durum Wheat. 



The durum wheats have been grown in this country in insignificant 

 quantities for about 35 years, but until 1900 there was no organized effort 

 to induce extensive cultivation of this grain. During that year the De- 

 parment of Agrculture sent a representative to the durum wheat sections 

 of Russia and Algeria to investigate the conditions favorable for durum 

 wheat production. As a result of this investigation, a large number of 

 durum varieties were introduced by the department. They were distributed 

 among various stations of the Great Plains area, also mountains, where 

 the conditions seemed to be very similar to those found in the native 

 countries of the wheat. At first these grains were received with but little 

 favor, in spite of the fact that they produced excellent yields and exhibited 

 remarkable rust resistant and drouth resistant qualities. Their rust re- 

 sistance is especially important. This was particularly noticeable in the 

 rust epidemic of 1904, when so much damage was done to the common 

 varieties. Something you did not really know the danger of in the 

 intermountain states, and you can thank goodness you did not, yet it 

 is a vital question, and one we want to constantly keep in mind, rust- 

 resistant varieties. It is something that will come in a day, almost, and 

 entirelj^ destroy your crop, and just before the time you are ready 

 to harvest. 



The later popularity of durum wheats in this section is largely due 

 to their great resistance of the rust in this epidemic. They are, in fact, 

 coming to be considered as the only reliable spring varieties to grow in 

 sections where rust is frequently prevalent. Their drouth resistant quali- 

 ties are constantly being brought to our attention. In Texas, Montana, 

 California, Utah and in many other sections ' where severe drouth occurs. 



