Yeeeow-berry in Wheat 
33 
prevalence of yellow-berry, the observation of Feilitzen that moor 
soils which are usually low in potassium produce a larger propor¬ 
tion of flinty berries than mineral soils, is suggestive of the views 
presented in this bulletin. The quotations from Dr. lvosutany have 
a similar significance but are not so explicit. 
I have carefully avoided any discussion of the differences in 
the composition and quality of flinty and yellow-berries in this bul¬ 
letin as being beyond its purpose. These subjects will be dealt with 
in a subsequent bulletin. 
A question will naturally arise in regard to the part played by 
water and the condition of the plant at the time this may be ap¬ 
plied. While I hold this to be the first and most important ques¬ 
tion in irrigation, I do not know that anyone has actually studied 
it. I have made some observations in regard to its effect upon the 
production of yellow-berry. The observations! are not wholly con¬ 
sistent in details, but are concordant in showing that neither the 
time of application nor the total amount applied stands in any 
casual relation to the development of the yellow-berry. I have 
samples of “dry land” wheat raised without irrigation in which it 
is difficult to find a single kernel entirely free from this affection 
and I have also samples of wheat grown with the application of 
three acre-feet of water plus some rainfall and this, too, is very 
badly affected. Some of my own samples were grown with the 
application of two acre-feet, some with one and one-half acre-feet, 
and some with one acre-foot, and I can discover no relation what¬ 
soever between the amount of water applied and the prevalence or 
absence of yellow-berry. I have stated very plainly and the plain¬ 
ness was intentional, that the giving of the percentage of affected 
berries does not adequately express the differences between samples 
grown with the application of nitrates and those grown with the 
application of potassium. The appearance of the kernels is differ¬ 
ent, the one is translucent and the other is opaque. This holds too 
in the case of irrigation, i. e., while the yellow-berry may be very 
bad heavy irrigation seems to slightly improve the appearance of 
the berries. I have two sets of three samples each which received 
one, two and three acre-feet of water respectively, and those 
samples receiving the three feet of water are the better appearing 
samples, while they are practically all affected with yellow-berry, I 
feel perfectly justified in stating that the application of irrigating 
water up to three acre-feet, does not produce the yellow-berry and 
also that the withholding of all water will not prevent it; for the 
yellow-berry is independent of this factor. 
The remedy is plain, increase the ratio of nitrogen to that of 
potassium in the soil. This does not mean that it is necessary to 
