IO 
Bulletin 103. 
matured when barley and oats, seeded at the same time, in the same 
seed bed, perished from lack of moisture. Mr. Gauss tells me he 
can trace this wheat as a drouth resistant wheat for at least eigh¬ 
teen years; while his wheat has not been tested for milling qualities, 
his results would indicate the value of selecting seed grown under 
semi-arid conditions, for semi-arid farming. Persons coming from 
a lower altitude with a moist climate, often are completely pros¬ 
trated on being transported to Leadville—Colorado’s “Cloud City,” 
nearly two miles above sea level. 
In a similar manner, but probably not to so marked a degree, 
altitude and climate affect our crops and we should try to secure 
acclimated seed or at least obtain seed from regions with similar 
climatic and soil conditions. Seed corn from the Mississippi river 
states cannot be expected to make a sturdy growth in eastern Colo¬ 
rado ; seed wheat from near tide water cannot be expected to make 
a quick, rapid growth at an altitude of 8,000 to 10,000 feet. 
Colorado farmers find grain of good quality grown and de¬ 
veloped in the region of their farms gives best results and Colorado 
grown seed should be so selected that it shall take precedence of 
all other seed on our home markets. 
Mr. A. H. Danielson, Asst. Agronomist, a few years ago de¬ 
cided to test selection for hardiness in winter wheat. For this 
test he selected a number of varieties. The ones which showed the 
best quality grain and gave the best yields he used as the basis for 
his work. The first year all were badly winter killed. From the 
plants which lived through and matured grain, he obtained seed 
and so continued for four years. This year all of his plots showed 
a perfect stand, while other plots not thus treated showed from 
twenty to thirty per cent winter killed. 
The value of good vital seed is shown in an experi¬ 
ment conducted by Professor R. A. Moore of the Wisconsin 
Experiment Station with oats. He selected from two pecks 
of seed oats sent to him by the U. S. Department of Agri¬ 
culture, 33 especiallly fine, large, plump kernels and planted them in 
a choice plot by themselves in 1899. From these plants he re¬ 
ceived sufficient seed to plant a good sized bed. The next year he 
began sending out seed to members of the Wisconsin Experimental 
Union, asking that a record of harvest and sales be kept so he 
could trace the progeny of his 33 oat kernels; last year (1904,) he 
found the harvest of the oats with a pedigree tracing back to the 
33 kernels of 1899, numbered 500,000 bushels. Hardiness, quality 
and productiveness are to be sought for in our field crops if we 
would farm profitably in any region. Because of the struggle for 
existence in our semi-arid fields, our farm seeds should be chosen 
with great care and with these three essentials always in mind. 
