seers 
CLASSIFICATION OF AMERICAN WHEAT VARIETIES. 151 
Towa in 1919. A definite history of the bearded spring Goldeu Drop variety is 
not available, but this is probably an old English wheat. A spring wheat simi- 
lar to the above was grown under this name in New Hampshire in 1872 (9, 
p. 492). 
Johnson is a name of a wheat similar to or identical with Preston. A John- 
son or No. 55 has been reported by J. M. Thorburn & Co. as “ an amber, bearded, 
white-chaff variety,” originated in 1889 by E. S. Carman, then editor of the 
Rural New Yorker (191, p. 48). Rural New Yorker No. 55 also was described 
in 1888 (28, p. 523) as a “pure wheat cross. Medium to ripen. Stems yellow. 
Heads average nearly 4 inches. Hight breasts to a side. Chaff white, heavily 
bearded, three to four grains to a breast, fair size, bright amber color, hard 
regular heads, i. e., not inclined to club.” In 1890 the Rural New Yorker (24, 
p. 516) reported ‘‘ No. 55 has been named ‘ Johnson’ after Prof. 8. W. Johnson, 
of Yale.” A Johnson wheat was grown in California as early as 1871 (7). 
The Marysville “Appeal” has seen some samples from a field of wheat grow- 
ing near Yuba City which are reported to be an average of the crop of about 
40 acres of the bearded Chile variety and give promise of a good crop without 
further rain. The proprietor estimates a yield of from 380 to 40 bushels per 
acre. This variety of wheat is highly prized by the grain growers of Sutter, 
and is known as the Johnson wheat. 
Johnson wheat was reported in 1919 from Iowa, Minnesota, South Dakota, 
and Wisconsin. Samples of this wheat resemble Java and Dixon as well as 
Preston. Johnson’s Early Fife is a name used for the wheat which later 
became known as Bearded Red Fife or Red Fife bearded, which is identical 
with the commercial Velvet Chaff or Preston. Wheeler and Balz (203) state: 
The so-called Red Fife, a hard, red, bearded wheat,... The origin of 
this variety, which is also called Golden Fife and Johnson’s Harly Fife, is some- 
‘what obscure. 
It is not certain that this wheat is identical with other lots of Johnson. 
Minnesota No. 188 is a number given by the Minnesota Agricultural Experi- 
ment Station to Preston wheat which was received from Dr. William Saunders, 
of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. The following extract is from the records of 
the Agronomy Division of the Minnesota station: 
Minnesota 188 was originated by Dr. Wiiliam Saunders, of the Canadian 
Experimental Farms. It was the resuit of a cross between Red Fife and 
Ladoga made in 1889. It was improved by selection by Dr. Saunders and re- 
ceived at Minnesota in 1896. As introduced to farmers in Minnesota it con- 
tained both red and white seeds, and it was recalled. It should not be con- 
sidered as a Minnesota pedigree. 
Preston wheat from the above source, frequently designated as Minnesota 
No. 188, is still grown to a considerable extent in Minnesota. Red Fife is a 
name under which Preston wheat was grown in South Dakota as early as 1905. 
Although incorrectly applied, this name continued in use for several years. 
Velvet Chaff is a name which came into use about 1905 for a wheat similar to 
Preston or identical with it. Just how and when this particular name arose is 
not known. By 1912 the wheat grown under this name was quite widely 
grown in the Dakotas and Minnesota, and the name Velvet Chaff was used by 
the Minneapolis Chamber of Commerce and the Chicago Board of Trade as a 
grade name. By 1914, however, this wheat was included in the northern grades 
of wheat and the name Velvet Chaff was abandoned as a grade name. The 
name has continued in use, however, as a varietal name for the wheat on farms. 
The only observable difference between this wheat and the true Preston from 
Canada is that the latter more often shows a purple tinge in the stems and 
has a Slightly rougher seed coat. Velvet Chaff was reported in 1919 from 
Idaho, Illinois, lowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, 
