SB LI. S. l)i:i'ARTMENT OI- AGRICl'LTURE. BUREAU OF PLANT INDUSTRY— BULLETIN No. 3. H. T. (iAl.lJiW.W ihiof„f HuriMu. MA( A 1 i( )i\i WHEATS. MAKK ALFKED CAHLKTON, liREALIST. VEGETABLE PATHOLOGICAL AND PHYSIOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS. KslKli nECBMKKR 'Si, 1!K)1. HMsm JAN 21902 WASHINGTON: GOVEKNMEMT PKINTIXO OFFICE. 1901. f^il. U. S. DEPART.Mi:X'l" OF AGRICULTURE. BUREAU OF PLANT INDUSTRY— BULLETIN No. 3. B. T. UALUiWAY. Chlff of Burciiil. MACAJiONl WHEATS. MARK ALFRED CARLETOX. CEREALIST. VEGETABLE PATHOLOGICAL AND PHYSIOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS. I.asrEip Deckmhkr -3, 1901. WASHINGTON: GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE. 1901. r3f ^ n" ST5 MAR 31 L D. or D. \ LETTFR OF TRAXSMI'ITAL U. S. Dki'aktmknt ok Aoricli.ti.ke. BuuEAU OF Plant Industry, Office of the Chief, Wmkhifftou, D. C Jnly .il, lf)01. Sir: I have the honor to tninsmit herewith the luiimiscript <>f a paper on Macaroni Wheats, by Mark Alfred CarletOn. Ceioalist, VefjetaMe PathoK)i.'i( a! and Physioiojrical Investigations, this Bureau, aud reconiniend its pulilication as Bulletin No. 3 of the Bureau series. Respeetfully. B. T. Galloway, Cit iff iif liureau. Hon. .Jajies Wilson, Secretary of Agriculture, PRHl-ACH. The following bulletin Ity M. A. Curloton. Ceifulist of this Ottico, treats of the iiincHroni whi-ats, with speoiiil reforeiK-e to their jrrKwth without iiTigiition in tin- si'niiiirid regionji of the United States. Some of the best varieties of niao^ironi wheats have been imported by the Department of Agrieulture, and have been tested in these regions with extremely gratifying results. It is believed that with a little care a large industry can be built np in regions of the United States where the ordinary wheats do not succeed. Mr. Carleton has had special advantages fur the study <>f these wheats in Russia and else- where, and his bulletin is commended as the latest word on a very interesting and piuctical subject. Albkut F. Woods. Offick of the Pathologist and P*ht8iologist, Wa«hington, D. C, August 1, 1901. 5 CONTRNTS. Pose. Introduction 9 fharacteristics of macaroni wheats 10 Distribution of nuicaroni wheats II Adaptability nf duniin wheats to the ooniiitions of oureemiarid districts \:\ Clinintic comparisons \.i Comparison of soils '. is Experimental proof Ill Testimony of priN^atc parties 21 Testimony of exi>erinient Htations 25 Thi' market for macaroni wheat 28 Foreign demand 29 Quality of grain demanded .'53 Possibility of a home demand ;i8 Kiiidn of wheat now \\!»-<\ by our factories 39 Com|>ariMon of foreign and domestic macaroni 41 Preparation of semolina 43 Bread from macaroni wheats 44' Cultivation of macaroni wheats 45 Preparation of the soil 45 Methods of nc-eding 4() Can- in harvesting 4() Effects of local variations in soil and climate 47 Varieties 47 Ghamovka '. 47 Amautka 48 Kuban ka 49 PereriMlka 49 Beloturka 50 Velvet Don 50 Blaik Don 51 Sarui-bugda 52 Mewn to receive a special name. Now. however, through th(> recent introduc- tions and publications (»f this Department th(» term macaroni wheat is becomin]Lr rapidly adopted, and its a|i|ilicatiiin is already pretty well understood. Heretofore the.se wheats have liecn receivetl with l)ut little faxdr. In spite of their excellent yields and hardiness the lack of a market made their est;;l(lishiuent a practical impossibility for the tirtic. Our own macaroni faetoi'ies were usinj^ ordinary bread wiieats and the attention of foreif^n factories had not l>een called to the pcj.ssibility of securinjr excellent durum wheal from this country. Our milh-rs refused to receive such wheat, not i>einy able to utilize it with their present nu'thods of millin'r for bread (lour only. Elevator men also refused to handle it. as it would spoil the .sale of other standard wheats if mix(>d with them in the elevators. Also the different varieties intro- duced hartunate circumstance-, jrave to these wheats a reputation not at all deserved. Only two year> ago a writer severely criticised the Department for inti'oducing a i-onsign- ment of Kubanka wheat, saying tliat the variety was already consid- ered to be a failure in this cuuntrv. Now. however, as a result of the effort.s of thi' Department begun two years ago to establish these durum wheats, there is being mani- fested a great change of opinion as to their merits, in view of their probable coiuplete utilization in the future fcjr the manufacture of maca- roni. The following are some of the rea.sons for this cluuige in opin- ion: (1) Certain European manufacturers are ready at any time to con- tract for large amounts of American grown wheats of this kind so long 9 10 MAOAKONI WHEATS. a.s thcv stand the proper test. (2) Samples already sent to Kuropeaii experts for examination have given very favorable results in compari- son with foreign samples, though it is almost certain that the samples sent were in quality below the average of what can ))e produced and is being prochiced in this country. (3) Quite a iuuu1)er of Ameri- can factories are showing a disposition to use semolina' made from these wheats just as soon as they can obtain a sufficient amount of it. (4) Several American flour mills are now grinding macaroni wheat. (5) From a rough calculation, probably 75.000 to lOii.OOO bushels of macaroni wheat will be harvested in the Great Plains States in the season of 1901. (6) From the standi)oint of results as a cultivated crop numerous careful experiments have a1)solutely proved the success of these wheats in the Great Plains. (7) Excellent bread as well as macaroni can be made and is being made in large quantities (e. g., in the Volga River region of Russia) from these wheats. In the light of such facts one is forced to believe that there is before us the jjossi- bility of establishing practically a new wheat industry of great mag- nitude. CHARACTERISTICS OF MACARONI WHEATS. Macai'oni wheats projjer ])eloiig in the durum group, known by the botanical name of Trltlcuui duiuin. In France they are called BJe ihir: hi Germany, JIarUreizen ; and in Spain, THgo duro. They are also sometimes called barley wheats, or Gerstenweizen, because of their resemblance to barley. The wheats of this gi'oup grow rather tall and have stems that are either pithy within or hollow, with an inner wall of pith, or, in a few varieties, simply hollow, as in the ordinary l)read wheats. The leaves are usually bi'oad and smooth, but have a peculiar whitish griHMi color and possess an extremely harsh cuticle. The heads are comparatively slender in most varieties, cemipactly formed, occa- sionally V(^ry short, and are alwavs l)earded with the longest lieards known among wheats. The spikclets (meshes) are two to four grained. The outer chati' is prominently and sharply keeled, and the inner chaff somewhat compressed and narrowly arched in the l)ack. The grains are usually \-ei'y hard ancl glassy, often translucent, yellowish-white in color, orcasionally inclining to reddish, and usually rather large. In certain varieties the grains are almost or fully as large as those of Polish wheat, and are sometimes mistaken for it. In the field these wheats resemble l)arlev \(»ry much, and one seeing them there for the first time and not familiar with their appearance is apt to think of them as being actually l)arleys. There are many \arie- ties differing in shap(» and size of head, color, and amount of hairiness of chatt'. color of beards, etc. (See Plates T and II.) Besides their excep- tional fitness for the manufacture of macaroni and other edible pastes, these wheats possess for the grower two other admirable i|ualities to a 'TIr' special name of the milled product as used by the maeanmi maiiulai-tiirer. Bui. No 3. Bursas Plant Ind^^ltry. U S. D>Qt Av DfeoUGHT-RESISTANT MACARONI WHEATS: 1, KuBANKA; 2, Nicaragua; 3, Velvet Don; 4, Black Don; 5, Wild Goose. OKiXiKAI'Hir DISTKIHI TION. 11 •greater dcj^'rco than ordinary wlimts. 'I'licy arc cxtrcnicly rcsislant to (Irouirht and to attneks of most fmijrous pests. Hlark stem rust, however, sonietiiiies atfcets them hadly. Thov do not stool exten- sively, niiriim wheats are partieuhirly sensitive to ehanjres of envi- ronment and iiuiekly deteriorate when j^rown in a soil or eliiiiate to whieh they are not adapted. A siilKeient ehan^'e of conditions to ellert such u result may he found evi'ii within the distance .' and in such cases the larjre amount of autumn {.'rowth made allows ihem to furnish exci-llent fall piusturajre. Polish wheats profluce a >rrain very similar in nature to that of the durum wheats, and are also often used for makin^r vai'ious pastes. These are varieties of Tntii-iim jmhiiiiriiin. (.See ]'l. 11./.) Thi' ])lants are tall, with smooth stems that are more or less \i\X\\y within. They stool very sparinjrly. The heads are extremely larjre and loosely formed, and hei'ore ripeninji- are bluish •rreeii in color. .V special IM'culiarity of Polish wheats is the nither lonjjr. narrow oute-v chatt', papei-y in structure, and standint anion in their excellent adaptation to rej^ions of intense heat and drought. In addi- tion, however, they reiiuire for their most successful cultivation a soil ' Results of recent experiment.^ show that tliey will succeed a.s winter wheats even in parts of Kansas. l\> MACARONI VVHf:ATS. ricli ill liunms and contaiiiiiijiii i^ood pvoportion of potash, phosphates, and lime. AVhere these wh(>ats .succeed best the soil is always found to he considerably alkaline. Naturally, therefore, they aie grown to the greatest extent in east and south Russia, Turkestan, North Africa, and the drier portions of Argentina, Chile, India, and Asia Minor. They are also grown in Spain, Italy, (xreece, Roumania, Mexico, and the Central American States. By far the largest production of macaroni wheats is in east and south Russia, a large part of which finds a ready market for macaroni making in the cities of southern Fi-ance and Italy. Ten or moi'e rather distinct varieties are grown in Russia. These are nuuii mixed in shipping, and are often exported under the one name of Taganrog wheat simply l)ecause thej' are so ('onnnonly shipped from the port of that name. There is no spcn^ial variety correctly called Taganrog, but that name is usually applied to any variety whatever of Russian durum wheat after it leaves Russia. Unfortunatelv in making up statistics of wheat i)roduction no dis- tinction is made of macaroni wheats, so that it is impossil>le to give accurately the distribution of these wheats in Russia. In a general way, howevei", the governments in which these wheats are chiefly grown are as follows: Orenburg, Samara, Turghai Territory. Uralsk Territory, Saratov, Don Territory. Astrakhan, and portions of Kuban Territory, Daghestan, Stavropol, and Taurida. In the Turghai and Uralsk Territories and Astrtikhan certainl}' the largei' proportion of the entire wheat production is of these wheats, it being practically impossible to grow ordinary wheats in certain districts because of the extremely low rainfall. The farmers are, many of them, Kirghiz, who have given up nomadic habits and have adopted a settled mode of life. The chief varieties grown are Kubanka and Beloturka. The greater part of the macaroni wheat of south Russia is grown in thi? region bordering the Azov Sea. Here there are several \iirieties grown, the principal one being Gharnovka (PI. III). In jjortions of Turivestan the climate is very favorable for durum wheats, because of its great aridity. One variety especially, Sarui-bugda (PI. IV, 3), apparentl}- the principal durum wheat grown in Turkestan, has attained an excellent reputation in southeast Russia. Algeria pro- duces macaroni wheats almost exclusivelv. xA.s the average annual M'heat production of that I'ountr^y during the years 18H5-1900 was 23,785,167 bushels,' the comparative amount of these wheats grown there is thei-efore rather large. There are manv varieties. Some macaroni wheat is also produced in Egypt and Tunis, but a large por- tion of Egyptian wheat is of the Poulard group (Triticum turgidum). Almost all Spanish varieties are of the durum group, but the entire 'Statistics furnished by the Statistician of the Department of Agriculture. Bui. No ^ Bu'-au Plint lifluitrv. U S. DoDt Agr. Drought-resistant Macaroni Wheats: 1, Polish; 2, Medeah; 3, MiSSOGEN; 4, No. 1174 S. P. I. ADAITAHILITY TO UNITED STATES SKMIARID I'LAINS. 13 wheat production of Spain is foniparativoly small. In CJioiho. Mexico, and Centnil Anu'iica— particularly in Nicaraf,'ua — thcsf durum varie- ties are also almost exclusively jrrown. ADAPTABILITT OF DURUM WHEATS TO OUR SEMIARID DISTRICTS. The nature of the clini;ite ami soil of the rej^ions wliiTc macaroni wheats ai'e already ifrown in ([uantity and most successfully, would indicate that these wheats are admirahly adapted to the conditions of our own semiarid districts. That this is true is pretty well proved both in theory and by experiuuMit. Conditions of heat anrl droujjrht. richness of .soil, alkalinity, etc.. exactly similar to those that prevail in east Russia and North Africa, I'xist in the more arid portions of our Great Plains, except that in the foruuM- rejrions these conditions are a little more extreme as a rule. As the best macaroni wheats are gi'own most successfully in east Russia, it will lie desirable to comiwiro the climatic conditions of that repi{ Kazan to the Caspian Sea, but extending eastward to the Siberian boundary and even beyt)nd into the Kirghiz Steppes. The entire district is at least semiarid, and .some jwrtions of it seem to be. more properly, arid. The degree of aridity increases to the eiust and south, the rever.se of the conditions in this respect in our Great Plains, where the degree of aridity increa.se.s to the west. Near the Siberian border begins the Kirghiz Steppes of western Siberia, a monotonous, unbroken expanse of treeless arid plains, with a rainfall reaching le.ss than 1<» iiuhes, but nearly all of which falls in the growing season. Sages, feather giusses (Stipa). .salt bushes, etc, make up a large part of the native vegetation. The dry heat of midsummer is .so intense that mirages are frequent. The rich black earth is dry, strongly alkaline, and powdery, but absorbs greedily the rain that does fall. Evaporation goes on rapidly, and well-iida])ted i)lants are provided with means of resisting evapora- tion. (See PI. V.) The particular climatic features which characterize a region of this sort, and which distinguish it from ordinary agricultural districts so far a.s macaroni wheats are concerned, are as follows: (1) The very low average annual rainfall; {2} the very large proportion of this rainfall which occurs during the growing season; (3) the character of this pre- cipitation, occurring in the form of quick thunder stoniis, with very little fog or mist; (4) the prevailing clearaess and diyness of the 14 MACARONI WHEATS. atiiiosplieii'. and (5) the great extremes of temperature, especially intense smnmer heat. The following table will illustrate some of these features. In this table are given the normal mean temperatures for January. July, and the year, and the normal rainfall for the year and for the growing- season (May to September, inclusive) as taken at ten meteorological stations representing as fairly as possible the durum wheat districts of east and south Russia, and also similar data for nine stations correspond- ing to these in our Great Plains. For contrast with humid areas similar data are also given for three stations — Eastport, Oswego, and Lj'nch- burg — in the eastern United States. T.\ni.E I. — Temperature and rainfall in several localities in Russia and in the United States.^ 'The figures in this table are averages of many years' observations and are given by the following authorities: Wild, Die Temperaturverhiiltni.s>e dcs Russischen Reiches. Tabellen. S. LXXII-CCXL, and Die Regenverhaltnisse des Russischen Reiches, S. 12-28; Kaiserl. Akad. der Wisscnsch. St. Peters- burg, ISSl and 1887. Klossovski.KlimatOdessui (Russian); Meteorological Observatory of the Imperial New Russian University, Odessa, 1893. Moore, Report of the Chief of the Weather Bureau, 1'. S. Department of Agriculture, for 1896-97, Washington, D. C, 1897. A study of the figures in the ditlerent columns for the stations in east Russia is very interesting. Great extremes of heat in one are offset by just as great extremes of cold in another. Moreover, at the northern stations the July extremes are still ver}- high, though the yearly mean is normally very low. The small amount of yeiwly i-ain- fall is offset liy a proportionately heavy rainfall for the growing season. The latter will partially account for the fact that a crop can be grown at all in a district of such low annual rainfall. The contrast between Bui. 3, BuTuu of Pliint Industry. U. S Diipt. of AiHculturi COMPARISON OF CLIMATES. 15 tlif lii,'uii'.s for this district mid tliosc for the throe phiee- in tiie liuiiiid urea of the eustern I'liited States i> very strikiiiniture> at Samara and Orenluir}:. Kiissia, are muili lower than those at Osweijii and Kastjjort. on the other hand the .lulv temperatures at the former plaees are hijrlier than those at the latter. Thi- .lamiary and .luly extremes at Orenhwrjr and Sarepta are remarkulile. Orenhurjf. with a.Ianuaiy normal extremely low and an annual mean noi-nially nearly .'> lower than Oswejro. yet pos.sessesa.July normal over U hi^rher. The January normal at Lynehliiirir is ahove freezinir mi'l the normal yearly mean over •> hijrher than at Sarepta (see PI. V). Russia, yet tin- latter ])oint with a January normal loA helow freezing lacks hut a little over 1 of beinpas hot in July as Lyneh- linrtr. The anf>malies of rainfall are fully as strikinjr. At no jioint in the Uus^ian rejrion does the mean yearly niinfall reach 17 inches, while at ()sw<'iro it is over tw ice that amount and at Ea.st]iort and Lynch- hurjr over two and one-half times that amount. But one-half to tivo- eiijhths of the total yearly rainfall in the Russian region occurs during the growing months (May to .SeiUemlier. inclu.sive), while in the humid area of the United .States consideiiildy less than one-half falls in the growing season. The conditions at Kazan. I'fa. and Simbirsk are particularly interesting. M these points, although the yearly mean i.s only It) or 17 inches, the amount falling in the growing sejison is about live-eighths of that amount. .Vs the nature of the soil in i)niirie region> enaltles it to retain an unusually large proportion of the niin- fall. it results that the actual amount of water available for plant growth in this semiariracficfilly non- c.ri.^tuit on arcoiuit of tl„ lorl nf (] nno/hf-r, sisfujit rorofHs. ;.v n.orly ilirir 'inchea greater tlmn flmi for flu.' rutin Kruuoriil Vn/i/o rnjion^ irliicli is one of the ^''i^incijuAl n-hxit /•iijions tf Ii'i/fsiif, and irhidi jiro- daceti tlw finest macaroni irhtvt in the irorld. A comparison of the normal temperatures of the two regions shows the same sort of similarity, with extremes a little more severe in the Russian region. Points in the Volga region having correspondingly low winter and annual mean temperatures, always show a July tem- perature a little higher than those of the Great Plains region. At Orenburg, Samara, and Ufa the July temperatures are especially sur- prising, considering the very low winter temperatures. At Huron, Bismarck, and Moorhead are the best examples, probably, of tempera- ture extremes in the Great Plains, but the extremes are not quite so great as at the three Russian stations. The humidity of the air is a feature of climate often entirelj^ over- looked, but it nevertheless has a remarkable influence upon plant growth. In the relations of climate to the development and maturity of the wheat grain there are many things not yet thoroughly under- stood, but the degree of humidity is known to be of the utmost importance. The exact manner in which the influence of humidity is efl^ective — the actual changes in the plant which take place by virtue of its presence or absence — is j'et to be investigated in detail, but that there is such an influence seems positive. Its efl'ect upon the wheat plant is in general unfavorable if long continued, and particularly if it occurs near the time of ripening. Great humidity retards maturity, inter- feres with the production of proteids in the grain, and thereby indi- rectly softens it and thi'ough an overproduction of starch gives it a whiter color, weakens the straw, and presents conditions favorable for the attacks of various fungous pests. It is not so much the great pre- cipitation that causes an inferior quality of grain in the humid areas, but the prevailing humiditj^ of the air and lack of sunshine. Indeed, as already stated, the actual rainfall dui-ing the growing season may be nearly or cjuite as much in the semiarid areas as in the humid areas. Edmond Gain has stated the law in regard to this matter, viz, that " ripening is promoted in a dry air and a humid soil, but is retarded in a humid air and a dry soil."' It is pretty generally admitted in regard to many crops that the quality of the fruits or grains is, in some respects at least, injured by excessive humidity. It is especially true, however, of those crops which are characterized by a large pro- portion of protein or sugar in the fruits or grains, and in the case of durum wheats humidity is so injurious that semiarid conditions are absolutely necessary for the best results in growing them. So long 1 Influence de I'humidite sur la vegetation. Compt. Rend. 115: 890. 1892. Bui }. Buiaau ol Plint Indultry. U S Otpt ol AgM Plate IV. Sarui bugoa in Comparison with other Varieties in Cooperative Field Eapehiments at THE Maryland Experiment Station CiiMrAKlStiN OK CLIMATES. 17 ns the sdil is of tlio i-itjlit kind. thorof conditions that arc iirtmiUij io<'ut in the form of va])or pressure, heing rcckontnl like harometric pressure, and is stated in both millimeters and imluvs. The avemge total number of ilear days in June. July, and Augirst is also given for as many of the localities as ])ossil)le. Taiiik II. — Almitliilr 'imt nliitiir linmiiillii fur tin' ijroviiig m-nfiiii niiil fur il,: .,.•>,, null the nremijf liiliil inimlirr of clear iltiyn in Mine, J>il;i, nnii Aiiijn ' The rlnta for RuHsla art' obtained from the excellent work of A. Kaminskl, '• Verthcilnng der Feuehtigkeit dur Luft RuNiland," pp. 34-3.il, St. Petersburg, 18W, and from A. Klosaovaki's "Contri. buttons to the climatology ot Southwest Ku»d States in which macaroni wheat may be grown. The district in which these wheats will be most successful is a comparatively narrow belt extending northward and southward through the Great Plains. Of course, the boundaries must be understood to be arl)itrary and only approx- imately correct. One hundred to two hundred miles east of this belt macaroni wheat may give good yields and prove hardy, but the (|uality of grain will not be what it should. In all wheat area west of this belt the gluten content of the grain will not be so good, because of the lack of nitrogen in the soil. EXPERIMENTAL PROOF. After all, the most convincing evidence that a new crop is or is nof adapted to the region to which it is introduced must be found in the results of actual trials of the crop in that region. Such evidence, if there is suflicient of it, must be received as final and conclusive. If 21) MACAHllNI WHEATS. those results siil)stantiiito the coiu-hisions :irri\ecl at by a comparison of the features of soil and climate, such as we have given above, it is a gratifying confirmation of the idea that introductions of new crops I 55 >*iltOn, Nov.. says concern- ing the same variety. No. 1174: No. 1174 did well, better than our Nevada wheat. Planted .\)iril 1, ripened Sep- tember 4. I gave the neighbors some to try. This \ari(>ly was also tried by Mr. A. P. Stanley at Eciio, Umatilla County, Oreo-. His testimony, oivcn in a letter of February 12, I9(ll, is as follows: Wheat No. 1174 was sown broadcast March 2(i, 1900, and harvested .Tune 29. Yield per acre (estimated), 2:i bushels. The grain was large, plumji, and far sujierior to the seed .-own. I consider this variety worthy of further trial, whii'h I shall give it the coming sea.«on. The fine stand of volunteer now on the ground, after the hard freezing weather of the last month, is evidence of its hardiness. TESTIMONY AS TO ADAPTABILITY. 25 Mr. H. C. Warner, of Forestburg, S. Dak., .superintfiident of State fair, Department of the South Dakota State Board of Agriculture, has taken much interest in the trials of macaroni wheats. He experi- mented with Arnautka (S. P. I. Nos. 11.53 and 1156) and No. 1174, and has this to say concerning results with it: A summary of results would be about a.s follows: 1153 and 11.56 Arnautka were fine, withstood drought well, berry plump, color good, yield fine, ripe July 24. No. 1174 will be a good early wheat if it does not rust. Ripe July 7. Three other correspondents report results with No. 117-1. as follows: Alois Wallman, Crandon, S. Dak. : For durability it will prove to be tlie wheat best suited for the dry prairie States. H. J. Wilson, Husted, Colo.: No. 1174 was quite hardy; can not say what the yield would be, but consider it a good variety. C. A. Snodgrass, Salmon City, Idaho: It is the finest wheat I ever saw; I sowed it on the 10th of May anil it was ripe on the 25th of August. It think if it were sown on fall plowing it would make a crop without irrigation, and, as to yield, I think it will yield fine. It seems to be hardy. In Canada the Wild Goose wheat (PI. I, 3), a macaroni variety, which probably came originally from South Russia, has been grown considerably for several years. Mr. William Beacham, of Cambray, Ontario, writes April 3, 1901, as follows, concerning this wheat as grown in that locality: The straw is strong, not liable to lodge, and is not affected by rust at all. It does not shell in cutting as much as others if left till overripe. It will grow on wet or dry land and is not affected by exti-enie dry or wet weather. TESTIMONY (IF EXPERIMENT ST.\TI0NS. Without any disparagement to tht^ reports of private parties who, no doubt, .state honestly the results of their experiences, it is never- thele-ss to the experiment stations that we must look for conclusions that are to be considered final concerning the behavior of varieties in their particular districts, as their variety tests are not only carried out scientifically and .systematically, but in a highl}^ comparative waj', dozens, or even hundreds of varieties of diflerent wheat groups being tested side by side, under the same conditions. No complete series of experiments with macaroni wheats has j^et been published by any sta- tion, but several' of the stations have kindly given the Department, ])y letter, brief reports of two-year results with the three varieties oljtained in Russia by the writer in 1899, through the Section of Seed and Plant Introduction. In one instance the variety Nicaragua is also included. Fortunately, two of these stations are in the very districts to which these wheats are naturally best adapted. The two States in which macaroni wheats have so far proved to be the most succes.sful are North and South Dakota. The wheats not only give excellent yields in these States, but the grain produced is 26 MACAKUMI WHEATS. often ;ippan>nt]y of .better quality thiiii the original imported seed. Prof. J. H. Shepperd,agrieulturist of the North Dakota Station, reports briefl\' as follows the results with Kabanka and Perei-odka at that sta- tion during 189!) and 1900: I am planning to do con.siderable work with macaroni wheat in this district. The two bwt Russian sort.s out7-anked everything else. In 1899 Pererodka S. I'. I. Xo. 2954 gave a yield of 39.9 bushels per acre and Kubanka S. P. I. No. 29.i:i yielded .iOA busliels per acre. Both were very hardy and thrifty and were early enough to be entirelv safe in tliis district. The Pererodka made a performance of about 8 l)ushels per acre better than our best-bred Fife and Blue Stem sorts. I am very favorably impre.'i.sed with their i)erf()od eoniparative yield at tlu^ Arkan.sas Valley E.xperimiMit Station in C'olorado, htit was ap))arently .soon afterwards discarded. It has also oiven o()od residts in Washing- ton. Utah, Iowa, and other States. The strong resistance to h^af rust exhibited by macaroni wheats has been diseiissed in r acre of common wheats (juitc low. these varieties increase the yiekl on ;in average one third or more. THE MARKET FOB MACARONI WHEAT. From a purely culturtil standpoint — that is, the standpoint of yield, hardiness, etc., there is no question that the success of macaroni wheat growing in the Great Plains of this country is even now an estal)- lished certainty. There is only the (piestion of a market that concern.s •See Cereal Rusts of the United States, Bui. Xo. Hi, Div. Veg. Phys. and Path., Dept. of Agr., pp. 23-40, especially pp. 33 and 40, Sept. 27, 1899 (illus.); also. The Basis for the Improvement of American Wheats, Bui. No. 24, Div. Veg. Phys. and Path., Dept of Agr., in column "Resistance to leaf rust," of table, pp. 44-.58, Dec. 10, 1900. FOREIGN DEMAND. 29 the fin-iiier at present. It is a ijuestioii. however, that ouylit to be capable of early .solution. A market is likely to be realized in one or more of three ways: (1) B3' stimulating a foreign demand for the wheat for macaroni making; (2) b}- the development of a home demand from our own macaroni factories; and (;-5) hy the use of macaroni wheat flour in })read making.' KOKEIGX DKMAND. It is alreadj- known that certain French manufacturers of semolina desire to use macaroni wheat from this country, and indeed a consid- erable amount of the variety Wild Goose has been shipped to France. But at present there are apparently two chief obstacles in the way of extensive foreign shipments. First, the foi'eign factories have not been brought through proper middlemen to see what the grower has to offer. Second, tliere has })een no systematic effort, as there should be, to send to these factories for inspection well-authenticated samples- of our best grades of these wheats, with accompanying information as to the amount that can be furnished of each. French factories are quite read}- at anj' time to use these wheats if they can get always a good grade. The demand for such wheat is shown by the following statements of United States Consul, John C. Covert, at Lyons, France:" It i.s estimated that the French (Hitput of these pastes is from 120,000,000 to 170,000,000 pounds per annum, and the prodiiet is unquestionably destined to increase greatly. To Americans it may seem strange that the power to jiurchase wheat foods is only now becoming general 'in most of the civilized countries. Thirty years ago black rye bread was universally consumed by the working classes and the peasantry in France. Bakers tell me that they all sold rye bread up to about 1870; now it is rarely found in any bakery and is eaten onlj' in the country. * * * As the use of wheat has become more general and the power to pay for it has grown correspondingly, it is but natural that a strong tendency to seek variety in its jirepa- ration for food should exist. * * * The new and better methods for the manu- facture of the edible pastes, the knowledge of just the kind of pastes certain classes of wheat will produce, and the improvements in the heating and drying processes are coincident with the sudden and widespread increase in the use of wheat foods. The continued growth of this industry will depend upon the supply of s)5erial kinds of wheat, for a decline in consumption would inunediately follow au}- attempt to manufacture pastes of ordinary wheat. Paste makers are unanimous in the opinion that American wheats [i. e., common bread wheats] will not answer their purposes, but when one considers the almost endless variety of our soil and climate it seems that some locality must be found where a suitable wheat can be grown. What is wanted is a hard wheat [durum, or macaroni wheat, not ordinary "hard wheat"] containing a large percentage of gluten and a relatively small percentage of starch. Our wheat is lacking in both ' Since the above was written facts have developed upon which a market for at least 5,000,000 bushels can be safely guaranteed for the season of 1902. ^ Wheat for Alimentary Pastes in France. Consular Reports, 60: 468-470, N(j. 226, July, 1899. 30 MACARONI WHEATS. these tlesiderata. * * * An AunTii-ain-heniist, ]\rr. Kdwiii W. Serrell, now living near Lyons [France], has carefully inve.'^tijrated this siiliject and informs nie that the wheat which is now considered the best is that .grown in the neighborhood of Taganrog,' Kussia; the next is from Algeria. That produced in southern Italy, where the manufacture of pa,stes originated, has lost the high place it formerly held. Tli)3 best wheat grown in France — considered better than the American product — is from the neighborhood of Clermont-Ferrand. Rapidity of growth and ripening is considered of j)rime importance in the produc- tion of the de.sirele to frrow these wlieats in Kranee,'and the snpi)ly pnxhiced in Alcreria is quite itisudieient to meet local reciuirements. ■ Cun.siil Covert, at IjVoiis, also niaki's tl>e following statement regardiiio- the ssiiiie matter in a letter of Mareh 8, 1901: As to the Kuropean market f(jr hard wheats, I am toUI by dealers that it will he able to absorb all that our country can |)rodnee. T know merchants in this city who would like to contract for handlinfer to France only. Kijiuil di'mtmd,-! exist. IK) (lotiht. in Italy. Constii .lo.seph K. Ilayden. at Castelhimtire di Stal)i:i. Italy, also states in a letter of April l'."i. I'.uil. with refer- ence to Italitm macaroni — In the manufacture of macaroni of the best quality a special kind of wheat is used called "'hard wheat," and for the makinj; of cheap macaroni a mixed wheat is used. This nnxed wheat is neither hard nor soft. Nearly all the hard wheat conies from Russia, liut some c-onies from India, the Orient, Tunis, and Tnrkey. Italy would be a very important inarkri for .VmeiMcan wlieat, either soft or hard. Aoain. in tinocher pla(<' and more recently he is situated at Marseilles, the chief port of entry for macaroni wheat imported into France. His stat(>nients are as follows: (1) In letter of Fobrnary fi, 1901: One of the iiianul'actnrerpi in this city ha,s very recently been called upon to test a shipment of Goose wheat from Manitoba, and nientionerl to me the other day that the result was extremely unsatisfactory, a.s the qu.ality of the grain was not even, a large percentage of the kernels being suili- ciently hard, and the remainder not harder than ordinary winter wheat. (2) Con- cerning grain insjiection:' Three protests have been formerly lodged with me in regard to the condition of a cargo of wheat arriving from New Orleans; a like com- plaint has been made against wheat from Galveston, and an English trade jiaper noting a communication from its Marseilles correspondent, says, "We may add that London importers have been making similar complaints." These facts suggest that whatever aecurac} the criticism may possess, they an; not confined to an isolated case or to a single city. As my correspondents explain, wheat from New Orleans is purchased in Marseilles on the faith of the certificates of inspection issued by the board of trade of tliat city. The exporter appears to have no responsibility for quality of the grain beyond the production of an " official" certificate of inspection, which being in proper form binds the buyer to accept the consignment. It neccs.sa- rily follows that unices the trade organizations i.ssuing certificates exercise proper care in making the statements i-onform to the facts, they must lose credit and drive business into other cbanni'ls. Mr. Skinner also emphasizes the tlesiral)ility of submitting standard samples of each year'.s crop at Marseilles in the following words: ^lany American cereals are unknown here. I have conversed with several brokers who say that if they had samples of the new .\merican crop they could make sales. This difliculty could be overcome and a step in advance of every other grain export- ing nation would lie taken if our produce exchanges, notably at Chicago and Xew York, would send to this market annually, after the new crop is in, a complete set of standard samples. To reach the trade of Marseilles, two sets should be sent — one to the Chambre Syndicale des Minotiers et des Fabricants de 8emoules de Marseille, 4 rue des Templiers, and the other to the Chambre .Vrbitrale des Cereales de Mar- seille, sitting at the bourse. The utility of the suggestion is shown by the fact that the French consul at New Orleans has forwarded some few samples to the Syndicate des Jlinotiers by recpiest. Samples should be selected with scrupulous care, indorsed by the exchange sending them and sealed by the French consul, in order to be fully accepted lierc. The idea is applicable not only to cereals, but to cotton, oils, etc. ] am extremely ilesirous of having this matter considered and acted upon, and will be haj)]iy to see that samples are properly placed. 'Inaccuracy in American Grain Inspection. Consular Reports, 62 : 303-305, No. 234. March, litOO. FOREIGN DEMAND. 35 In regard to the .same matter of a guaranteed produet being- neces- sary to insure an extension of our wheat trade, the situation as eon- cei"ns our export to Malta (where hard wheat is mainly used at present, coming chiefly from Russia) is stated by Consul John H. (xrout, jr.' With special i-eference to a cargo of wheat and flour shipped direct from New York to Malta in 1899, he says: Unfortunately the wheat sent was not up to the standard required foi- military use. i have received a fair sample of it, and find it full of tares and unc-lean. The grains also are too small. This makes tne second time that wheat from the United States has been received and sach time it was below the standard. I wish to state as a result of my recent investigations on the subject, that although there is every chance for our wheat to gain this market, no headway will be made with such qualities as have thus far been received. It is utterly useless for our shippei-s to send wheat that will not come up to the requirements. I know that we have the required article, and it only rests with those desirous to secure a market here to .send large samples first and then, if accepted, to send wheat equal to the samples. * * * Mr. Turnbull, of Turnbull, jr., & Somerville, Valleta, recently said to me: "We have large dealings with the (iovernment here and desire to secure an American brand of wheat that will be acceptable. We desire to do busine.ss with souie resjionsiljle Ameiican firm that will send us samples of wheat up to the standard, and that will, if we order from them, send us wheat up to the sample." * * * In sending samples one thing umst be strictly remembered, and that is not to send poor wheat. At Malta the ijuestion is not cost, but quality. There are several good firms here that are ready to deal \\-itli our exporters. Among them are the firms above mentioned — C. Breed Eynaud & Co. and S. Scieluna & iSon. The latter firm has for some time been trying to get some samples of American wheat of good quality, but thus far has not succeeded in securing what is most desired.^ Whatever we may think of the justness of the above criticisms, the suggestion of Consul Skinner that certified samples of each year's crop be placed with chambers of commerce at Mai'.seilles and other ports is manifestly of the greatest importance. Such a course will be particu- larly eflective in securing a (juick market for our macaroni wheat, and the writer would urge upon our produce exchanges and boards of trade the desirability of carrying out such a plan at once after each harvest. Let the .samples be in duplicate or triplicate for each foreign market, and be large enough and of sufflcienth' average character to represent the crop as accurately as possible. Duplicate .samples with corresponding numbers should be kept by the home as.sociation. of course. Then, what is still more important, let no consignment be permitted that is not "up to" sample sent. It is absurd to think that anything is gained in making a shipment inferioi; to the .sample on the basis of which the purcha.se price is paid ; but, on the other hand, the entire market may be lost because of a few shipments of that 1 .American wheat at Malta, Consular Reports, 60 : 479, 480, No. 226, July, 1899. ^ For further discussion of this subject see testimony of Frank H. Hitchcock, Chief, Section Foreign Markets, before the Imtustrial Commission; Foreign Markets for American Agricultural Products, Kept. No. 67, U. S. Dept. Agr., Washington, 1901, pp. 32-42. 3(i MACAKONI WHEATS. kind. The importer sljould i)e able to ))uy ]ty sample with positive assurance of i;etting- just what ho has ordered. The sliu-ht changes that are underg'one in storage or lonjf transportation are soon under- stood by the experienced dealer. In the purchase of these macaroni wheats especially no dependence can l)e placed upon a mere state- ment of grades without accompanying samples, for three reasons: (1) Because these wheats are in this country a new factor to the grain inspector, who can not yet grade them understandingly; {'2) there is at pi-esent a grievous lack of uniformity in grading even our ordinary wheats; and (3) the manufactui-e of semolina for macaroni recjuires certain qualities in the grain that ai'e not usually coiisidei'ed in ordi- nary grain inspection. In all tests that have so far been made of AnuM'ican macaroni wheats by the semolina manufaciturers of France the results have been fairly satisfactory, it being stated in several instances that the semolina is fully equal to that of the Tagftnrog wheats. But these tests have been made almost wholly with Texas and Canadian wheats, which are apparently inferior to those grown in the northern and middle Great Plains. The writer firndy ludieves that when the North and South Dakota macaroni wheats shall be thoroughly tested in foreign factories they will be acknowledged to eijual in quality any otliei- wheat of that kind in the world. In an article entitled " Wheat for edible pastes in France,"' Consul Covert reports to the State Department ' the results of tests made of the 2 bushels of Nicaragua wheat sent to him liy Mr. James B. Simp- son, as alread}' noted. ^ Messrs. Gilibert & Teziei-s. Valence. France, reported upon a package sent them as follows: Macaroni can be made out of this wheat, but of au onlinary quahty, because it can not contain a great deal of gluten. It contains considerable .soft wlieat, and some of it i.= moucheth; that is to say, black about ends. It seems to us that w lu>at more evenly hard and not mouchelcs ought to be grown in Texas. The wheat which we want would bring at Marseilles about IK francs (^3.47) per 100 kilograms (220.46 pounds). Another package sent to Mr. Edwin W. Serrell, at Paris, was given to an expert for examination, who reported as follows: ITS FORM. Long grains, indicating a high average of gluten. A horny or corneous form; the best variety of hard wlieat. It is, in fact, very hard. Grains regular in sizi'. But very little impurity; a few grains of tender white wheat. Unfortunately there are a few spotted grains. This defect, which ought not to be inherent in the quality, diminislies the value somewhat, for it will necessitate more time for sifting to eliminate the black spots from the .semolina. ' Wheat for Edible Pastes in France. Consular Reports. 62: 301, 302. No. 234. March, 1900. ■' I'agc :U. FOREIGN DEMAND. 37 ANALYSIS OF THE GLLTEX. Paste very rai^idly obtaineil. Gluten very easily separated; very homogeneous and elastic. The analysis shows damp gluten 30 per cent; dry gluten 10 per cent. These proportions oci'ur only in the superior grades of hard Russian wheat. With well sifted semolina there i-ould be made from this wheat edible pastes carry- ing 13.33 per cent of gluten. This wheat wqukl therefore make the best quali- ties of edible i)astes. Mr. Covert adds: The above report eoming with Mr. Serrel's indorsement should leave no doubt as to the value of pastes, for no man in Eurojie is more competent than he to pronounce an opinion on this subject. The gentleman to whom I sent specimens of this wheat in Marseilles rejiorted ver- bally that it would And a ready market in that city at 16 francs ($3.08) per 100 kilo- grams. Dealers have been one week investigating this subject in Marseilles. Their first report was favorable. This morning they confirm the first opinion. While the above reports are in the main favorable, the consid<'rul)]e number of grains with black ends is a detriment. These grains were noted by the writer in samples from the same soni'ce sent to this Department for the Paris E.xposition of 1900, and were at once con- sidered to be the result of being grown in a locality a little too damp. In Russia macaroni varieties when grown in a locality too damp like- wise deteriorate in the same manner. The use of Taganrog wheat for seed in Texas, as suggested by the French manufacturer,' would there- fore probably make little diflerence. The defect will no doul)t best be overcome, as the writer has before suggested, by growing the wheat farther westward, in the region between Wichita Falls and Abilene. The present Nicaragua wheat area in Texas, if extended over one-half its width westward, would furnish a quality of grain much superior to what it now produces. At the same time it would add to the gen- eral wheat area of the Sbxte thousands of acres of semiarid lands at present supposed to be unsuited to wheat culture, but which woidd yield a good average crop of this wheat because of its drought resist- ance. The writer has observed that this wheat, when grown in eastern Colorado or extreme western Kansas, produces a grain as clear, hard, and yellow as the east and .south Russian wheats. As the traffic in macaroni wheats increases it will be necessary to construct special elevators for handling them. It is plainly impossible to handle these wheats and the common wheats together, as each would ruin the other by the mixture. There ought to be, and probably will be, a sufficient amount of these wheats grown in the ne.xt live years to justify the construction of several large terminal elevators at such points as Galveston, Chicago, and Minneapolis, in addition to various smaller local elevators, all of which will handle only macaroni wheats. ' See "Wheat for edible pastes," by .Tohn C. Covert, Advance Sheets of Consular Reports, No. 668, pp. 5, 6, March 3, UH»0. 38 MACAKOXr WHEATS. POSSlI'.II.irV ()!• A llOMK nK.MAND. Wliih' tlic [Ji-Dspci-ts ;in' vciv 'l t'H" '^ t'oi'i'iiin iii;irki>t for those wlu'iits sutticieut to utiliz(> protnihly all that we can produee for several years, an excellent iiiarUet is also likely to he developed sooner or later ill our own iiiacuroiii factories. .\t iiresmt all these factories, with rare exceptions, use the lioiir of coiiiiiion bread wheats in their opera- lions. Of course this is chiefly due to the fact that heretofore it has been impossible to obtain true macaroni wheats in this country, and it is considered impracticable to import them. Most of the factorie.s realize the importance of usinir the semolina of such wheats as soon as they can obtain it in siiilicient amount and of j^'ood quality. It will certainly lie of the ereutest adxantaye to the factories as well as to th(^ growers to estal)lish trade between them in the use of these wheats. TIm' factories will thus be al)le to obtain either the wheats or semolina made froi;: them at much less cost than the imported material, and the fiirmers will have the IxMietit of a (juick home market. .Vnother strong- advantage in using these wheats in our own factories, and which especially afi'ects the consumer, lies in the fact that the homemade product, other conditions being equal, is always muc^h better from the standpoint of simjile fi'eshness. We all know how much better fresh bread is than old. and what a nutty flavor newly-made flour gives to the bread. These facts apply with even greater force in macaroni making. All imported macaronis must of necessity have lost a large per cent of their flavor, and as the homemade product is madt; almost entirely from common wheats, it follows that the inajorit}' of American people really have ne\ cr tasted the very best macaroni. More than all else the use of macaroni as a food is far from general in this country, and should become more popular. It is a comparatively rare foou with us. As already cpioted in another place, in France alone theannual out[)ut of edible pastes is estimated at from l:^0.(i()0,i)tH) to 170,0()(»,000 pounds. A c-onsiderable amount of this is of course exported, but there remains an enormous amount which is consumed in France. These pastes are among the most common and popular foods in that country. The same may be said of Italy. Let a suf- flcient amount of good wheat be grown and our factories begin pro- ducing from these wheats its best article possible, in a variety of forms, and there is no good reason ai)i)arent why such foods should not soon rank in po})ularity with our breakfast foods. Concerning the (juestion of a home demand for macaroni and maca- roni wheats. Consul Skinner writes as follows: Wliilf the cultivatiijii of :v liard wheat suitable for tlie manufacture of macaroni for (■.xpiirt to Kuro]ii' is a matter of great iinportani'e to our people, ] consider of oijual importance, if not greater, the creation of a demand in the T'nitcd States for a maca- roni for domestic consuniiition. Macaroni in southern Europe takes a liundred dif- ferent forms, and constitutes a staple article of diet that is cheap and palatable. Its POSSIBILITY OF HOME DEMAND. 39 possibilities in America are quite unknown, and macaroni in its most ordinary form is consumed in a very small number of families. Nor are these facts the result of popular ignorance entirely, for macaroni and semoule, to be good, should be manu- factured in the country of consumption, as the deterioration in quality sets in even a few weeks after production. It necessarily results from this that the macaroni exposed for sale in American shops and imported from Europe is stale and tough, and therefore little in demand. I have no doubt you have seen, as I have frequently, large cases of bulk macaroni exposed to the air for weeks in small grocers' shops. What is true of macaroni is still more so of the semoule or flour from which macaroni is produced. This flour is in a moist state, and could not be used by the French man- ufacturers of first-class macaroni two months after grinding, and in most cases goes directly from the mill to the factory. A few importers do succeed in packing semoule in tight cases, but even with these precautions it loses much, and the demand for it in the United States is trifling indeed. Similarly, Consul Covert makes the following- statement: But an important market ought soon to be created for them (macaroni wheats) in the Tnited States. The e V it is seen that the average protein content of these samples is considerablv les.s than that wliich could be obtain(>d from true macaroni wheats if they were u.sed instead. The ditierence is even greater than here shown, however, since in Table V only the albuminoids are given, while in Table IV the entire protein content is given. In connection with these facts it is interesting to note that the one sampk-^ only, made from true macaroni wheat, ' shows a protein content ut least i' per cent higher than the best of the others, and a correspondingly low percentage of carbohydrates. The protein content of the egg noodles is of course increased by the addition of egg. Of still further interest, and much importance to us, is the fact of the high protein content of the .Vrnautka wheat from North Dakota, men- tioned uikUm- remarks in Table V. The gluten content of these macaroni samples was also determined, 1)ut on ticcount of the great change.s in the gluten effected in drying ' The writer ha.-; examined this wheat anil kno\v.s it to be a good quality of leal duitini w heat. It is the only instance in this coiuitry known to the writer where macaroni is alreaily liein^' made from durum wheat, though one other factory is pre- jjarinj: to jml out a product from tlie same class of wheat. NEKD OF SEMOLINA MILLS. 43 the macaroni during its inaniifactui-e, these results are entirol\- niis- leading and of no vahie in this connection. PREPARATION OF SKMOLINA. Macaroni factories, with few exceptions, obtain their Hour or semo- lina already prepared. In this country, while the ))read wheats are being used, it is a comparatively simple matter, the flour being obtained from the ordinary flour mills. In Marseilles the preparation of semo- lina has become a .special industry, and large establishments for this purpose have been formed, which stand in the same relation to the macaroni factories there that the flour mills here do to our bakeries. It has thus become an easy matter for the factories there to secure material ready prepared and always of just the right grade for the best macaroni. In this country just now, in connection with the development of the macaroni industry, one of the greatest needs is for a few enterprising millers to begin this same business of specializing in the manufacture of semolina from true macaroni wheats, in response to the demand that already exists among our own factories. To make the matter a success it should be begun in direct cooperation with certain factories who would agree to take all the semolina the mills could furnish, pro- vided it were always of the grade reciuired. It is known to the writer that a number of factories would be glad to do this. On the other hand, with due notice of such a movement to the farmers and grain dealers, the necessary supply of excellent wheat will be forthcoming in good time; in fact, will probably be ready in sufficient amount for a good beginning after the coming year's harvest. At the same time there is probably opportunity for considerable business in the sale of miscellaneous products from these wheats, such as flour for hn-ad making, grits for breakfast foods, etc. Millers have usually been deterred from operating with such wheats because of the idea that it would involve too radical a change in their methods in proportion to the proflts that would likely follow. It is probable, however, that the difficulties in the work are greatly over- estimated. From testimony of those who have investigated the mat- terj'^if appears that the important thing is to know the nature of the semolina required. This being known, i^he methods of producing it are learned by practice, and may be carried out it seems, simply l\v the addition of moisture and slight modification or arrangement of the ordinary milling machinery ust'd in making bread flour. Consul Skin- ner says concerning this matter:' The devices reciuired for prodiu-ingsemoule are essentially the same as those essen- tial to the grinding of first-class Hour, the main difference lieing that the grinding is less fine and that moisture is introduced. 'In letter already quoted. 44 JIACAKiiM WHEATS. The foUowiiiofstateriieiits are (quoted from ii paper by Mr. Edwin W. Serrell. of Paris, an authority in this line, and transniitt(?d to this DepartniLMit throii(,>-ii th(^ I)('])artnicnt of State by the eourtesy of Con- sul Covert: Any Aint'iicaii '^r\M mill fitted with modern inafhiiiery ain be made to do the work if j)roi)eily luiiidleil. * * * Tlie i»anufa<^turers in America have been making inferior jiastes from soft wheats, and the millers may lie trying to turn out something which is not the thing wanted for paste manufacture. If they have been trying to turn out Itiiiir for this purpose, then it is certainly the ca-se, for fiour i.« not what is used for the manufacture of high-grade ,'dil)le paste. * * * Unless I am very much mistaken in .so far as milling is ooncer-ied, what is needed, and the only thing needed, is a definite knowledge on the part of the millers of the exact nature of the jiroduot to be turned out, ami of the arrangement of their existing machinery best adapted to its iiroduction. I may add that I think only very slight changes of method would be needed in .Vmerican mills to enable them to turn out what is wauled, and that such changes would be rather in the operations than in the marhincry. BREAD FHOM MACAKONI WIIKATS. Aside from the tt.se of macaroni wheats in i)aste making-, the writer is eonlident that a iarye demand is in store foi' these wheats in future for bread makino-. not only in foreign countries where they are already seeking for such wheats for bread, l)ut in this country as well. Let the use of these wheats once become general for making paste.-; and the peoj)le will soon di.seover their e.xeellenee for bread making as w^ell. The evidence from actual experience in favor of these wheats for bread from the standpoint of both taste and nutrition is too great to be longer ignored. On the other hand, the objection to their use in this wa,y from the standpoint of difficulties in milling operations will soon be found to be not well taken. If they are properly handled thcA- can be readily ground into bread fiour. tiiough in some instances it may be found advisable to mix a small p,'rcentage of hard red wheats with them. There i.s no good reason w'hy the much despised ""(Toose" wheat of th(> Northwest may not yet rank well with the Fifes and Blue Stems even in the production of bread tloui'. .Vt least four prominent flour mills in this country are now known by the writer to be grind- ing these wheats, and in absolutely every ease of those so far known to the writer where bread made from the resulting flour has been used the parties now pi-efer it above all other kinds. It is found also that the grits made from these wheats make excellent breakfast foods. By far the largest amount of bread floui- from macaroni wh(>ats is manufactured in the Volga Kiver region of East Russia, the native home of the best varieties of these wheats, iuid it is in this region that the use of such Hour for bread was flrst practiced on an extensive scale. Besides being one of the largest wheat regions of Russia, it is also one of the most important milling districts, and yet a large pro- l)ortion of I lie wlieut used in most of these mills is the variety Kubaidva, CULTIVATION OF MACARONI WHEATS. 45 a macaroni wheat. The mills ai-c tittod in the most modern stj'le with the Hungarian system of rolls, but invariabh' possess steaming machines for moistening and softening the grain. The bread of that region made from this wheat has become very popular, and the visit of everj^ foreigner who is a lover of good bread increases its reputation. The famous bread of Moscow called " Kalach," as well as several excel- lent kinds in Odessa, are made from this wheat. There is a certain richness of flavor in such bread not found in other bread. But prob- ably the most important quality is that it will remain palatable so long, not drying out readily nor becoming stale. The color of the flour and bread is j^ellowish, and indeed the preferred color of bread in east and southern Russia, and to a gi"eat extent in France, Greece, and Italy, is yellowish and not white. It will be proper to close this topic with a few remarks on the use of macaroni wheat flour for bread in France and the possibilities of extension of our foreign markets for wheat and flour in case we should grow this kind of wheat. Quoting still further Consul Skinner's letter, he says: French bread to be satisfactory must be made of mixed flour, and consequently until popular taste undergoes a radical change, and irrespective of the amount of wheat grown in France, there will always be a market for a really hard wheat, in the first place to supply the requirements of semoule manufacturers, and in the sec- ond place to supply flour for mixing. What is true of France is largely true of the entire'lNIediterraneau country, and the farther East one goes the greater is the desire for hard wheat. In Greece, for example, the bread is manufactured exclusively from hard wheat, and there is a pretense that it is more nutritious and palatable on this account. It has the further advantage of remaining fresh for a longer period, being said to be as good at the end of a week as the day after baking. Right here in Mar- seilles a special loaf is manufactured for sandwich purpose.^, and the delicate slices, I know from personal experience, remain fresh for from twelve to eighteen hours after they have been cut. My recollection is that our American bread hardens very promptly after the loaf is cut. CULTIVATION OF MACARONI WHEATS. In a general way the methods to be employed in the cultivation of macaroni wheats are similar to those required for the best results with any other wheats. Early plowing, thoroughness in preparation of the seed bed, early seeding, and all those other principles of prime impor- tance in general wheat culture are perfectl}' applicable in the culture of these wheats. The chief thing to be kept in mind is that with macaroni wheats some of these principles need special emphasis. Since the.se wheats are to the farmer of .special value foi- growing in semiarid districts, the principles needing particidar emphasis are the .same that are to be observed in all wheat growing in such districts. PREPARATION OF THE SOIL. As rapidity of growth and ripening seems to be one of the requi- sites for the production of a good macaroni wheat grain, these wheats 46 MACAKONI WHEATS. are pretty generally used as sjniiijr wheats, for in districts of short hot summers the winters are usually too severe foi- ((rowing winter wlieats.' All i^lowiiiii' should therefore he done the j)revious summer, if the wheat is not to he sown on a summer fallow. The plowing should he rather deep. Then afterwards it should he lightly cultivated once or twice before winter. It is particularly important to disk lightly or harrow as soon as piacticahle after a heavy rain. After the alter- nate freezing and thawing of the winter and further spring cultivation, the ground will be in excellent condition for seeding. .Seeding should be done as eai'ly as j)()ssible, just as soon as the ground can be put in good condition after the frost is out. Karly seeding will promote eariy ripening. METHODS OK SKKDINU. All the tillage of the ground after the original plowing, up to the time of seeding, should be such that only the portion near the surface is cultivated, while the portion below remains compact and in condi- tion to hold as much moisture as possible. All experience in wheat culture is so full of evidence in favor of the use of the drill, that it is hardly necessaiy to say that seeding should be done with that machine. There is special reason, however, for seeding only with the drill in growing these wheats in semiarid districts, and not only that but for the use of a particular kind of drill. It nuist be remembered that we are preparing to resist drought — possibly intense drought — and while we are using drought-resistant wheats, which will make all the better grain, too, because of the drought, yet in order to make a crop at all we should aid the wheat by tiiking all the steps possible to conserve and utilize the little moisture that falls. A drill should therefore be used which is a sort of combination of the press and lister drills. That is, in addition to the listed furrow, the grain should be put down still deeper, and the soil compacted around it as in case of the press drills. Then the depth of the furrow and the tine dirt rolling in from above will combine to protect the moist earth below from evapora- tion, and at the same time the dry south winds will not be able to blow the dirt away from the roots- or what is wor.se blow the wheat itself out of the ground. The rate of seeding per acre should be about the same as with other wheats. These wheats do not stool as nmch as ordinary wheats, but produce all the better heads by not doing so. CAUK. IN IIAl;VKSTINU. It is important for producing a perfect (luality of grain that maca- roni wheats should In- harvested at just the right time. They should be entirely ripe, and hai'vesting should not be done in damp or even cloudv weather, if it can be avoided. The brighter the sunshine and 'Thes'e may l)e grown us winter wlieats, however, as far north as southern Kansas. , of Plant Industry, U. S. Dept. of Agriculturs EFFECTS oK VARIATH "XS IN SOIL AXD ri.IMATK. 47 clrior the iiir tlio lu'tttT. In oust Hussiii the peasant farmers (I'l.Vil) even i^o so far as to jinietiee reajiinj.'' only at eertain hours in the hot- tost part of the (hiy. ehiiniinif that the (|uality of the <.'niin is nia(h> more perfeet in that way. EFFECTS OF LOCAL VARIATIONS IN SOIL AND CLIMATE. All niacaii'iii w iieats are i-xtremely sensitive to eiianjres of soil and eiimate. This faet will aeeount for eeitain peeiiliarities in the ijiiality of the isv.un that have ali'eudy been notieed hy trrowcrs occasionally in this cotintiy. Sam])les are now and then received liy this Department in which the i,'niins aie jiaitially soft and white. Those are from crops jfrown either under damper, cooler conditions, or in places where there is comparatively little nitroiron in the soil. Tiie nHpiisite conditions for a perfect e added Ix'fore the end of this year. Thoujjfh the larjrer number of varieties are. in practical u.se. of nnnor importance, there are a few haviniy by the farmers of North and S)uth Dakota under the name Arnautiy this Department in tin' last two years, iind distrihuted rhietly to the State experiment stations. In distrirts where it is adapted its ti'ial has already heen followed liy lemarkahie results, much heyond the exjiectations of the writer, who kni'w it to he the best wheat on the Sitierian l)<)rder. It is one of the most drouifht-iesistant varieties known in east Ru.ssia. and produces a jrrain of excellent (juality. It has medium or short heads, that are white with ociasionally a sliffht hlui>li bloom, and have rather Uiu^s beards. The ifraiti is larjre. yidlow- ish white, and very hard. The variety is nuicii jrrown l)y the Kir;fhiz and Turj,'hai jieople on the Sil»erian border (I'l. IX, liy. 1), wiici'c it is alisojulely im))ossibli' to irrow ordinary wheats of any kind because of the extreme droULdil. the rainfall Ix-ini,' as low as 10 inrhes per annum. On bein<,' jrrown in the northern (Jreat Plains it hsus uniformly jriven yields lietter than those of other wheats, and in the more arid portions has yielded li to 4 times as nnich. In the Dakotas it ripens in days from seedinjr. It is constantly resistant to all disea-.es wherever tried in this country. This variety takes its name frora the Kul)an territory. It is cultivated thrftuj.'hout the i-ntire Volya Ri\er rejrion from Ka/.an to the taspiati Sea. and eastward int been evolved throuo;h the iuHuence of chanjjcs of st)il and climate, particularly the former. Thoufrh considered in east Russia to be in oreneral rather inferior to Kubanka, it has in certain respects t]t)5!t— No. 3—01 4 50 MACARONI WHEATS. given ))ottor results tliiiii the latter in this country. In North Dakota it yielcl(>d better, and in South Dalvota the grain was discolored less than that of Krbanka. It yielded considerably more to the acre in North Dakota than the Fife and Blue Stem. The grain i.s darker col- ored originally than that of Kubanka; otherwise they are practically the same. liELOTUKKA. The variety Boloturka is very similar to Kubanka. l)ut dift'ers from it in having a longer, narrower head, and longer grain which is not so thick. Like Kubanka it is also extremely drought resistant. It is grown thi'oughout the Volga region, but especially in southeast Russia. The name means ''White Turkish." It is well known to be very resisfamt to rust in all countries, but has been especially well tested in this I'egard in Australia. Its value in this respect has been conclu- sively shown in all experiments by this Department. Beloturka and Medeah are the two varieties particularly recommended for rust resist- anc(> in hot coast districts by the Australian Rust-in-wheat Conference of lsu-2. The bright yellow grain is of the very best ((uality. It is probable that if there were a better knowledge of varieties among the macaroni wheat dealers of France and Ital}', it would be noted that this variety and Kubanka arc really of better quality than the varie- ties Arnautka and Gharnovka, which have obtained their reputation partly by the mere association of being grown near Taganrog; and as before stated all the wheat, Gharnovka, Kubanka, or otherwise, goes to Mediterranean ports as simply Taganrog wheat. Beloturka is also adapted for growing in the northern Great Plains especially. VELVET DON. This variety, called Chernouska in Russia (PI. I, 3), has heads of medium length, rather thick, always with velvet chaff and long ])lack beards. There arc usually brown spots on the chatf throughout the length of the head. The grains are quite large, very hard, and darker in color than in the varieties just descrilied. It is grown to a consider- alile extent in the Crimea and near Sarepta in the Volga River region. Mr. Nekludov, superintendent of the large Mikhalkov estate at Ambro- cievka, Don tei'ritorj', says that under the general term Arnovka (prob- ably the same as Arnautka) are included Gharnovka, Yellow Gharnovka, and this variety. He also considers Yellow Gharnovka to be the best variety in that region, and Chernouska or Vehet Don to be the next best. (See lig. 2.) Velvet Don has been imported by the Depart- ment, and is now being grown by several of the State experiment stations. This variety is well adapted for growing in any portion of our semiarid districts, but may prove to be specially titted for use as Bui 3 Bucau ol Pi.v 1 In.luilrv. U. S. D.-pt of Acncuit Fiij 1. biAtKs ■ r Ki 1 A^^A Wmljt ne.vr URAL^K, on the Siberian Border. Fig. 2.— Method of shocking Macaroni Wheat near Sarepta, in the Vo^ga River Region. VARIKTIKS. 51 a winter wlicat in Tcxa-. It i- vorv inif i.l Mr. Mlkhnlkov, in Don Xerritory. proUaldy not ipiite so good. The best (|uality of this variety seems to he grown in the district near Sarepta. in the Volga Kiver region. When grown from well-selected s(>ed its ap|)earance in the field is vei_v striking, hecausc of the lilack heads. This variety has also been imported hy this Department and distributed in several of the States of the semi-arid districts. It is well adapted for any portion of these districts, hut may he especially suitable for a winter variety in Texas. 'On the other liaml, in unusually ilanip, eloudy seasons all these macaroni wheats are likely to be severely affecteil by the hlaok stem rust. In the Don territory, near Taganrog, some tielJs were ahnost ruined hy that rust in 1900, as observed bv the writer. 52 MACARONI WHEATS. 8AKUI-BUGDA. A variety known by this Tartar name and wliich is apparently dis- tinct but may ))e closely allied to Beloturka or Arnautka, is grown considerably in North Caucasus, near the Caspian Sea, but especially in Turkestan. It is probabh' one of the most drought-resistant wheats known anywhere, being the chief durum variety of the arid region of Turkestan. It no doubt also resists extremely the injurious effects of strongly alkarnic soils. The grain is very large, ^-ellowish white, ex- tremely hard, vitri^ous. and ti'ansluccnt. Heads of the wheat as grown in Turkestan have not ))een seen liy the writer, but from descriptions the}' are in every way similar to Beloturka, except a tinge of red in the chaff". So far as known to the writer, it has never been shipped in rjuantity for making macaroni, so that its \-alue for that i)urpose is not known. It is of special value to us at present, because of its superior drought resistance, but may be found to be excellent for macaroni as well. The best quality of grain so far seen by the writer came from the Lenkoran district on the Caspian Sea. In 1899 Prof. N. E. Hansen ol)tained for the Department a durum wheat numbered ll7i. Section of Seed and Plant Introduction, which came originally from Turkestan, and which appears to be equivalent to Sarui-bugda, but which may prove to be distinct. A difficulty in studying it (llT-i) ari.ses from the fact that it is badly mixed with another variety; Init when grown in this country the part of the crop resulting, which is true dui'um, is ver}' vigorous, extremely hardy, and of fine appearance in head and grain. It was distributed rather widely, and the results in semiarid districts have been uniformly good.' This and Sarui-bugda a*, admirably suited for growing in the driest por- tions of the Great Plains, where anything can be grown at all. The variety Medeah (PI. II, 2) has of all wheats attained the greatest reputation for rust resistance. '^ It is mentioned oftener than any other in discussions of that subject, but it is especially recommended in Aus- tralia^ and Cape Colony ' as a result of investigations with rust in those 'The selected iluruin portion of 1174 lias V)eei. separated anur southern great plains. M. Henri ^'ac very good in that respect. Its drought resistance and (piality of grain in this country is yet uncertain. It is adapted for cultivation in our middle and .southern Great Plains region. ' Cereal rusts of the United States, Hul. li>, I>iv. Veg. Phys. and Path., iip. 2:3-40, September 27, 1899. '.See "Culture Rationnelle des Cereales en .Mperie," Jour. d'Agric. Pratique, .59«, Tome I, pp. 494—498, 189.7. In thiii report M. N'agnon names Pellissier, Kl .Safra, and Volo as the best three in his experiments, placing Pellissier as tirst. 54 MACARONI WHEATS. NICARAGUA. Until recently prol)!i))ly no oni^ of the durum wheats has attracted so much attention in tiiis country as Nicaragua, and it is practically the only wheat of this gi-oup yet kuown in the southern Unit(>d States. Its origin is not known to a certainty, though the name would indicate that it came from Nicaragua, and the wheat almost entirely grown in Nicaragua is of the same group as this variety. The real Nicaragua M'hcat has recently been received by the Department from Mr. I. A. Manning, United States consular agent at ^latagaljja, Nicaragua, and its appearance is in all respects like this variety, so far as the grain is concerned. From various reports it appeal's that Nicaragua has been grown in Texas nearly twenty -five j'ears. Mr. James J. M. Smith, whose letters have already been quoted, states in his letter of May 2;t, 1S9S, that— In 1878 I found this wheat growing abundantly in Burnet, Williamson, Bell, Travis, Lampasas, Llano, and San Saba counties. I learn also that it was raised extensively all over this section of Texas. Almost invariably it has given excellent yields, far ai)ove that of any other wheat, including the popular Mediterranean. It has apparentl}^ made average yields of from 20 to 80 bushels per acre, and quite often yields 40 to 50 l)ushels per acre. Its cultivation has always been chiefly in Texas, but it is grown occasionally also in South Carolina, Georgia, Arkansas, Louisiana, and other Southern States. It first became popular almost wholly on accotint of its rust resistance, but has since l^een found to be excellent for late fall pasturage. Nicaragua wheat has rather long, narrow heads, with white or j'el- lowish-white chafi' and rather long beards, and a large, deep yellow, hard grain, when grown under favorable conditions. When sown in the autumn, as it often is in central and northern Texas, it makes a rank, vigorous growth and furnishes abundant winter pasturage. It is said to reach a height of 5 or more feet. This variety to give best results in qualit}- of grain should be grown farther west in Texas than it is now grown. -As grown in the region from Wichita Falls and Abilene it ought to l)e of excellent ([uality for macaroni. WILD (iOOSE. This variety is grown to a considerable extent in North and South Dakota, l)ut on a much largei' scale in Canada. It is related that a hunter found a few grains of wheat in tiie crop of a wild goose that he had killed, the grains were planted and grew, and the present variety has its origin in these few grains, and takes its name from the incident. Even if this story is true, the original grains must of course have been obtained by the bird from some farm in the Northwest, and as the Russian farmers of the Northwest have occasionallj' imported VAKIKTIKS. 55 soi'd of (liinnn whoiits from Russia for many years, it is very prol)attIe tiiiit tliis variety is oiiuivali'iit to one of tho South Russian macaroni vurioti(est ^rrades of the wheat. A considenihle amount of this variety iias already iieen exported from C'anuila to Fr.mco and Italy for maklnjf macaroiu, and is reported to l>e in some instances eipial to the Taifanro},' wheat for that jMirpose: and yet tlie wheat as jfrown in ( 'anada is probably inferior to wheat of the sami' variety as ^.m-owii in the Dakotas. .^II.SSOIJKN. Almost the entire wheat jjroduction of (iroecc is from the durum group. Bread there is commoidy made from these wheats. There arc a numl)er of Important well-known varieties grown, such ius Mis.sogen, Atalantl, \'olo. etc. Missogen (PI. II, ■>) is one of tho l)ost and is fairly representative. It has a meflium or short head, rather thick and flattened, and with white, or reddish-white, chatf and beards of medium length. The grains are « • "^ i ;is=^ Jbi k > • ^ .!c c k c .* ■t I s s t . is >. a. i 3 Is P = ■= 1 -|ill=£ "3 >< c : ^-j >• 3^ 3 >*- : :>^-<: ;-S C > :': s : : : :e g § ^ 1 ^' \ '.'.^1 ^ ,§ i ■§ f e : £ Joe e s JJ : : : is J 7.1 : >: J3 »s 1 i 1 1 1 ; k ^ k J 1 9 2 •a iJ^ i I 1 s 1 : •£ £ ^ 1 s a; is 5 is •s^ K :S S d 1 A ;i * i 5_ J a • 3 J*" 2 _es 5: ■■ 2 & i i?'.£| 2 "C 1 u 1 : £ s :h : Ic a i; JJ i 3 s is V i I 1 t i J IS- t d . • e :. 5 s > s « •' > j= > .1 ;«;' : y. < 2y •< » •< t- >;< ■< ■< t- ■< 1 fSll 5 s is |« a 5 5 : \ : S 5 1 M |4 ll 1 ■§' •§ •0 _o c i c 00^ c'c i _g ; ;^ ; ^ c • = X c n •^ r! : S-- ■ r' ^ % s- 1 . £ ji e.~ -t — -• i .•c i 1 § s ■= 3 i:il >• £| kkk kk 1 u .1 _ £ 2>^ o be b • 3 > 1*8 3 ^^5 lo fc. ' ■ * fc ^ I • h ; 1 .• * t' : ■ - l_ ft- ^ It i : M^ si :' t !" t= si ^ tl Si.. tc =■ =■ is id 1 u € " Mill = C i 1" ' t - '; ^ i^i^ ? X X X ; Str X * "' -/: CO H gc k f ^1 a . ii •£ i Hi 1 ■i II Ki . 1 ■u •= i 11 1 ^ O X a: <-! 5. •} H- £ o« ^ :^ • > • 1 J ;£ > - 1 ^ 1 If li ^ C c 1 " 2 ' 1 : e ^ ll ;< 5 s '5 i " < E 2 C^ 1 5 U : ; Zl "1.1 sJ 1 '25 3 S a 5 c = S 58 MACARONI WHEATS. As will 1)0 seen by the table, inacaroni wheats almost always are light green in color in the first stage of their growth, while ordinary wheats are a darker green. There is also rapid growth at this stage; the leaves are usually' large and the plants grow erect, thus affording the, abundant pasturage for which fall-sown varieties are noted. As to chemical composition, neai'ly all varieties here presented are uniformly high in gluten content and the percentage of albuminoids. Ordinary ])read wheats are considered to have an unusual gluten content if it reaches 11 or 12 per cent drj^ gluten, but it is not especially unusual for these wheats to have 13 and 14 per cent. On the whole, Russian varieties have invariably a higher per cent of gluten and protein than those of other countries. In confirmation of the expectation of the writer, it is seen that the Arnautka from North Dakota compares well with the best varieties direct from llussia in protein and gluten content. It is, however, a Russian variety originally, and when grown in North Dakota, simply finds very similar conditions to what it has previously been used to. The superiority of Russian varieties, already shown bj' their greater demand as well as their higher protein content, and also the excellent quality of durum wheat, when grown on our Great Plains, is almost certainly due to the unusual humus content of the soils of the Russian and American regions, respectively, which has already been discussed. The proper climate is a feature probabh' of greater importance, but a considerable amount of soil hunuis is absolutely essential. In harmony with this thought it is to be (>xpected that Algerian or Argentine varieties will improve on being grown on our Great Plains, while Russian varieties will probably deteriorate when grown in Arizona or New Mexico. But Russian sorts grown in the region from North Dakota to west Kansas, or possibly to the Texas Panhandle, will be the very best. There seems to be something more than the simple amount of gluten that gives macaroni wheats a superiority over Ijread wheats for mak- ing macaroni, since often bread wheats having the same gluten content do not apparently make as good macaroni. Nevertheless, gluten con- tent is evidenth' important, and, besides, the unusual protein content of such wheats is of great importance from the standpoint of nutrition. RXJSSO-MEDITEBE.ANEAN TRAFFIC IN MACARONI WHEAT. In making up statistics of wheat production and exjjort separate figures are never given for durum wheats, even in Russia, where such wheats are so important. It is therefoi-e only possible to obtain an approxiuiate idea of the export of these wheats from Russia to the western Mediterranean region. It is known to be quite extensive, however, in proportion to the amount of other wheats exported from that country. The Section of Foreign Markets of this Department has kindly furnished data giving the entire wheat export of Russia Bui. 3, Bufsiu of Plant IndusKy. U. S. Oopt. of AKMCullurn. Fig 1 — Port of Taganrog, Russia, the largest Port for the Export of Macaroni Wheat IN THE World. -Loading Gharnovka i Macaroni' Wheat onto the Steamer be shipped to mediterranean ports. T Taganrog, to RL'SSO-MEDITKKKANKAN TKAFKU'. 59 for tho yoais lv.t4-l.Sy8. inclusivo. and her export to Fraiui' and Italy for tlir same jteriod. Tlio (Mitiro export averaji^es 12ti.ti77.n7!» Imslii'ls. The averajje (>xport to France is r.t.S!l:i,.")17 bushels (iiicludiiifr spelt and niasiin'), and tlie export to Italy avei-a<;es :il.:i(i4.4tated that in IMt'.t (>,L'74.lL".t bu.-hels of the import into Italy was soft wheat: that is. considerably more than one-third of the entire amoiuit for that year, which was ir).4iMi.i:i:i bushels. It is pretty certain that the propor- tion of soft wheat shipped to Fiance from Russia is much less, prol)- abjy not more than one-tifth. Tin- entire wheat export to both Fnince and Italy is 41.()'.»G.ltst'> bushels. It is probable that the soft wheat, .spelt, maslin, et<-., would altojrether make up no more than one-third of this amount. To be safe in statements, however, the proportion of macaroni wheat shii)ped from Russia to these two countries may l)cst be^'iven, not us two-thirds of the entire amount. butasal)out lin.(MH»,0(i(» bushels. Rut certainly not more than four-lifths of the Russian Medi- terranean export of this wheat jjoes to Fr.mce and Italy. AiMinj,'', therefoie, ."i.doo.UdO more for the other countries on the Mediternmean we have what is surely a conservative estimate of •J.'i.ooo.ddc* bushcl.s as ri'presentiiifr Russian exi)ort of thi.s class of wheat into the Mediter ranean rej^ion. The Russian trade in these wheats is far j,''reatt'r than American> realize. In fact, many do not realize that there is such a trade at all. The writer is rather conlident that the entire annual Ru>sian export of »lui'um wheat to all countries iloes not fall far short of 4(>.diP(i.oou bushels. It nmst be rememliered, too, that in the mar- kets where this wheat ints on the Black and Azov sca.s. The principal jxiints from which duriun wheats are shipped are Taj^^anrojif (PI. X. ti<(s. 1 and 2) and Berdiansk. but larj,'e ((uantities are shipped also from Rostov-on- Don. Novorossisk, Theodosia. Kerch. Mariopol, and Nikolaev. Four or five trunk lines of railway (at least two of which are doubled tracked) ' Ma^^liii is a mixture of several grains, as rye, barley, and wheat. 60 MACARONI WHEATS. brintf most of the wheat that is grown at a distance to these points. ISluch the larger part of this wheat from a distance comes from the region about Uralsiv and Orenbui'g. (PI. XI, tig. 1.) At Tagani-og and Berdiansk a large portion of the wheat shipped is macaroni wheat. A great deal of it is grown in the surrounding region. The wheat begins to arrive in greatest tiuantities in September. (PI. XI, fig. '2.) SUMMARY. (1) Macaroni or durum wheats have been occasionallj- grown in this country for many years, but the absence of a knoM'n market has heretofore prevented their extensive cultivation. (2) In connection with its seed and plant introduction work th(> Department has been making special effort during the past three years to stinudate an interest in American-grown wheat of this class. As a result of this movement, and with the aid of private parties interested, the following progress has already been made: ((/) All macaroni wheat of good quality that will be produced this ' present season (which will probably amount to over 75,000 bushels) is now practically contracted for at a good price. {h) A majority of our own macaroni factories desire to use semolina of durum wheats grown in the United States, and from some of them there is now an urgent demand for it. but it can not be obtained. (c) Samples of our maciU'oni wheats sent to French manufacturers of semolina have been tested and reported to be as good as wheat from Taganrog, Russia, though it is known that a much better wheat is now grown in Noi'th and South Dakota than the samples that were sent. (rf) Semolina manufacturers in France and Italy have only recently discovered the excellent quality of our macaroni wheat, and now they are demanding large quantities just as soon as it can be furnished. Six or eight million bushels, if we could furnish it, would no doubt now tind immediate sale at ]Marseilles and in Italy. (3) In connection with these facts it may be noted that since March 1, 1901,' three and one-third million l)ushels of Wild Goose wheat were shipped from Canada to iNIarseilles. and yet the Canadian wheat is somewhat inferior, as a rule, to wheat of the same class grown iA North and South Dakota. (4) A careful investigation of the conditions of soil and cliiuate in east and south Russia in comparison with those of our (Ireat Plains shows an interesting and remarkable similarity between the two regions. As the very best macaroni wheat is produced in large quan- tities in this Russian region one naturally infers that the cultivation of such wheat in the Great Plains would be attended with o()od results. Bui. 3, Burou ol Plant IncJuMry, U. S Dopt o) Aet.cj". Fig. 1.— KuB4NhA Wheat brought jv Market by the Kirghiz Farmers, at Urausk, on THE Siberian Border. F:G. 2. CA...ri.\o Macaroni Wheat to the Wharves at Taganrog, to be shipped to Mediterranean Ports. SI MMAKY. (»1 (.")) The results of adiiptation t'xpiMimonts iiiiidc l)v this IVpHrtincnt ii) (•oopiTiition with State exjieriment stations, as well a.s trials made l>v jirivate parties, iiavi> stroni^ly contirincd the C()nelusit)ii drawn from a study of the soil and climatic conditions. The jirincipa! facts shown by these experiments are as follows: (ii) Macaroni wheats are extremelv resistant to ln'at and drouirht. (/<) They are also very resistant to tin- attacks of leaf rust, smuts, and other jjiirasites. (c) They yive the hest results in the (treat IMains near the one hundredth meridian. (//) In many places west of the one hundn-dth meridian where wheat yrowiny is now pi'acficidly impossible because e readily jrround at our ordinary llf>ur mills l)y a sliyht rearran>rement of ma<-hinerv. usinor more moisture, and with a ])i'oi)ei' understnndinjjf on the j)art of the miller of the nature of the product to be furnished to the faitories. The miller or manufac- turer of semolina should stand in the same relation to the macaioni manufacturer that the miller of Itread Hour does to the baker. ('.•) Nearly all our own macaroni factories are at present usin;r Hour made cither from Kansas hani winter wheat or from the hard s])rin}j;' wheats. (10) The superior value of durum wheats for makin percent of red wheat might, t)ften with advantage, be mixed with them. (IS) In all instances in this country within the writer's knowledge 62 MACARONI WHEATS. whore these wheats have been ii.sed for bread the parties .so using them have preferred the bread above all other kinds. (14) The most popular bread flour in the Volga River region of Rus- sia is made from Kubanlca, a macaroni wheat. (15) The French people, who are the greatest bread eaters in the world, prefer always a mixture of durum wheat in malving their bread flour. (1(>) Bread made from macaroni wheats is richer to the taste and remains fresh much longer than bread.made from other wheat. (17) Macaroni wheats furnish an excellent (jualit}* of grits for break- fast foods. (18) In the cultivation of macaroni wheats all means possible should be employed for the conservation of moisture if they are to be grown where the rainfall is very small. They are drought resistant, but they must have the aid of proper cultivation. (19) In all places north of the thirty-eighth |)arallel they should be sown in the spring, and the plowing may be done the previous sum mcr. South of this parallel they should be sown in late autunui. (20) In the South when sown in the autumn these wheats furnish excellent winter pasturage, usually, too, without greatly diminishing the following crop of grain. (21) The best macaroni wheats in all respects ai'e of Russian origin. The results of chemical analyses show that Russian varieties contain nearly oO per cent more gluten than varieties f rou] other foi'eign coun- tries. Moreover, they are, as a rule, best adapted to the conditions of our semiarid districts. (22) The best of the Russian varieties, and those which are best adapted to our middle and northern Great Plains, are the following: Kubanka (or Pererodlva), Yellow Gharnovka, Gharnovka, Black Don, Beloturka, Sarui-bugda, Velvet Don. (23) Some of the best varieties from other countries and adajjtcd to the region of this country south of the thirty-flfth pai'allei are as follows: Nicaragua, Missogen, Medeah, Volo, Pellissier, Atalanti, Candeal. El Safra. (21) The Russian export of macaroni wlieats to the Mediterranean region is probably at least 25, 000,000 bushels amiually, and is an indication of the export trade with these wheats that we might •secure (in part, at least) if we would grow them; for international freight rates are about the same for us to the Mediterranean region as for Russia. O LhiVlr'08 ^ r LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 0DDE37t,Tai5 %^aBi WP '^^ » Vv l>i