Yexlow-berry in Wheat 
7 
the season in so far as the latter affects the date of ripening, the compo¬ 
sition and the yield of wheat.” 
The authors base a suggestion for the lessening of the percent¬ 
age of yellow-berries upon these observed facts, recommending 
early cutting and prompt stacking. They further discuss the com¬ 
position of the ‘Horny Red’ and the ‘Yellow Berries/ showing that 
there is a decided difference in this respect, the horny kernels being 
the richer in nitrogen and also the heavier ; further, that the yellow- 
berries had larger starch grains and more air spaces, vacuoles, and 
cite Nowachi 1 2 as suggesting “ as early as 18 70 that the difference in 
appearance between mealy and horny wheat kernels is due to the presence 
in the former of a larger volume of air spaces than in the latter.” 
Again they say: “It appears that large starch granules and large and 
numerous vacuoles are associated in yellow kernels, the white appear¬ 
ance of the endosperm being due doubtless to the latter.” 
They also quote HackeP as follows: 
“If the albumenoids so fill up the intervals between the starch grains 
that the latter seem to be imbedded in cement, the albumen appears trans¬ 
lucent and the fruit is called corneous; but if the union is less intimate, 
there remain numerous small air cavities and the albumen is opaque and 
the fruit is mealy. Both conditions may occur in the same variety 
(wheat) and they seem to be occasioned by differences in climate and 
soil.” 
In their summary, p. 50, they again formulate these conclu¬ 
sions admirably as follows: 
“ ‘Yellow-berry’ in hard winter wheat causes an annual loss to the 
wheat raisers of Nebraska of from one-half to one million of dollars. The 
chief cause of this condition is allowing wheat to become over-ripe and 
failure to stack the sheaves. 
“ ‘Yellow-berries’ as compared with hard, red ones have a lower 
gluten content, and are lighter in weight.” 
In 1908, Professors Roberts and Freeman, Kansas Bui. 156 
discussed the subject under the title, “The Yellow-berry Problem 
in Kansas Hard Winter Wheat.” This yellow-berry is considered 
the most serious problem confronting the wheat growers of Kan¬ 
sas and the characteristics of the affection are described in detail. 
The yellow-berry is sharply distinguished from berries bleached by 
exposure, which seems to me a fair distinction and one not here¬ 
tofore made. The authors say: 
‘‘It should further be emphasized that the bleached, opaque grains 
due to weathering are not yellow-berries. In weathered kernels the 
grain has an opaque and rather dirty, grayish yellow aspect which ap- 
1. Untersuchungen uber das Reifen des Getreides, Halle, 1870, pp. 76-77. 
2. The True Grasses, E. Hackel (Trans. Scribner & Southworth), p. 26. 
