IMPROVEMENT OF GHIRKA SPRING WHEAT. 15 
3 bushels over the parent variety. No definite conclusions can be 
drawn from the results of only two years, but the data indicate that 
improvement in yield is possible and that progress is being made. 
During the years covered by these data rust was not prevalent and 
no data were obtained on the rust-resisting ability of the different 
selections. 
The average data for the four highest yielding pure lines and the 
parent mass variety are shown graphically in figure 7. The data 
given for the pure lines each year are an average of one milling and 
two bakings and for the parent variety are an average of these data 
from two plats, or an average of two millings and four bakings. 
In 1913, Ghirka selections Nos. 4 and 66 exceeded the original Ghirka 
in crude-protein content and in yield of straight flour, gave a smaller 
loss in milling, and produced loaves of greater volume, which also 
scored higher in color and texture. This was an improvement in all 
of the characters here studied. Nos. 5 and 72 exceeded the original 
in some characters but failed to equal it in others. 
In 1914, No. 4 gave the highest volume of loaf, but was low in crude 
protein and yield of straight flour, had a high loss in milling, and 
scored low in color. No. 66 scored low in volume of loaf and in 
texture, but otherwise exceeded the check. For the second year it 
showed an unusually low loss in milling. 
Selection No. 5 led in crude protein and yield of straight flour, was 
superior to the original in volume and texture of loaf, and lost less 
in milling. Selection No. 72 was low in yield of flour and in volume, 
color, and texture of loaf. None of the four highest yielding pure 
lines exceeded the original variety in all characters in 1914. 
The average for the two years shows that selection No. 4 was 
superior to the unselected Ghirka in all characters except crude- 
protein content and No. 66 in all characters except volume of loaf. 
No. 5 shows a decrease in crude protein and in color of loaf, while 
No. 72 shows a decrease in the volume, color, and texture of loaf. 
While none of the four best yielding selections has exceeded the mass 
variety in all of the characters studied, a gain in some of the characters 
offsets the loss in others, and the data thus far obtained indicate that 
at least the first three selections mentioned are superior in quality 
to the parent mass variety. 
