Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 19, Number 94, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 August 1898 — Varieties Of Winter Wheat. [ARTICLE]

Varieties Of Winter Wheat.

Eighteen varieties of wheat were grown on the Purdue University Agricultural Experiment Station farm this season. The results as to yield, weight per struck bushel, etc., are given in the accompanying table. YIELDS OF VARIETIES. No. Name. B-bearded. Bush. Lbs. S-sniooth. per per acre, mens ed bu. 1. Velvet chaff B. 22.6 63.2 2. Buda Pesth B. 20.0 62.0 3. Sterling B. 25.3 62.0 4. New Columbia S. 24.7 61.5 5. Early ripe S. 23.9 61.5 6. Golden cross B. 19.8 60.0 7. Hybrid prolific S. 22.5 62.0 8. Diamond grit B. 21.3 61.8 9. Gold coin S. 22.3 61.0 10. Pedigree giant B. 20.0 59.8 11. Jones longberry B. 19.0 60.5 12. Harvest King S. 26.2 62.0 13. Improved fultz S. 22.3 61.0 14. Long amber S. 19.2 59.0 15. Rudy B. 24-s 62.0 16. Michigan amberS. 24.7 62.0 17. Russian B. 17.8 61.0 18. Oaktu chief S. 15.0 57.9 19. Jones’winter fifeS. 24.3 61.0 The varieties were grown on rather thin clay loam soil, and suffered considerably from winter killing. All varieties were considerably rusted. Nos. 8,9, JO, 11, 14, 15 and 18 were badly rusted. A fungous disease popularly known as wheat scab was very prevalent. This disease attacks the. wheat head. As a result the head, or some part of it, turns lighter in color. The grains turn an ashy color aud are light, chaffy and worthless. Nos. 1,5, 7,12, 13 and 16 were practically free from scab. Twenty-five per cent, of the heads of Nos. 9 and 18, 40 per- cent, of No. 8. 60 per cent, of No. 10 and 75 per cent, of No. 6 were affected with scab.

Farmers will do well to select those varieties which are comparatively exempt from scab. Of the new varieties which have been grown at this Station but one year Nos. 4 and 12 are considered the most promising. Nos. 1 and 16 have been grown at the Station fifteen years in succession. The average yield of the former is 29.08 and of the latter 28.94 bushels to the acre. The Station has, for sale, only limited quantities of Velvet chaff, Michigan amber and Rudy. W. C. Latta, Agriculturist.