Chemical Work on Canadian Wheat. 



63 



first produced. Though the change is usually gradual and in the 

 same direction, it has been noticed that the quality of the wheat 

 on such land is markedly influenced by the character of the season, 

 so that while in some years there may be but little difference 

 between the crops from the older and the newer land (seed of 

 the same description being sown on both), in other years the 

 difference may be so great that their common parentage is not at 

 all apparent. 



This change from a hard, semi-translucent kernel to one that 

 is soft or piebald is a change, as already indicated, not only in 

 external and physical characters, but in chemical composition ; it 

 is a falling off in commercial value marked by a decrease in the 

 protein (gluten) content. Its extent can therefore be accurately 

 traced by chemical means. 



The Dauphin district (North-Eastern Manitoba) is one of those 

 in which there is a considerable area of this scrub-land — i.e., land 

 covered with small trees, shrubs, &c. , and generally characterised 

 by a high percentage of vegetable matter. As a rule, the district 

 is favoured with an abundance of rainfall. Its wheat has been 

 very largely piebald in character, though settlers claim it is im- 

 proving in quality with the working of the soil. In 1905 we 

 obtained from Valley River, in this district, three samples of 

 wheat and submitted them to analysis : — 



A. Wheat used as seed ... ... ... ... 1 ri 1 per cent, protein. 



B. Wheat grown as first crop after " breaking "... 9/93 „ „ 



C. Wheat grown on soil cultivated 9 years ... 12*62 ,, ,, 



First, we have in these results an illustration of the extent to 

 which environment may affect the composition of wheat in one 

 season. Secondly, it is to be noticed that the wheat from the 

 newly cleared land (B) is decidedly less glutinous (softer, starchier) 

 than the grain from the older soil (C). The wheats differed con- 

 siderably in appearance. The seed wheat was a fairly good 

 sample, grading No. 1 Northern ; the product from this on the 

 new land was decidedly soft, with many opaque starchy kernels ; 

 that from the older soil was somewhat superior to the parent 

 seed. 



To ascertain, if possible, the factors that determined this 

 modification, the softer grain (B) was sown the following season 

 on areas of newly cleared and old land on the same farm. In 

 addition to the analysis of the wheats harvested, soil-moisture 

 determinations were made from time to time throughout the 

 growing season, and samples representative of the soil of the 

 areas under experiment chemically examined : — 



Wheat used as seed (B) 9*93 per cent, protein. 



D. Wheat grown as first crop after " breaking "... io"oi ,, „ 



E. Wheat grown on soil cultivated 10 years .. 13*52 „ „ 



E 2 



