Russia’s Contribution to America’s Wheat Crop

RUSSIA'S CONTRIBUTION TO AMERICA'S WHEAT CROP By P. V. Cardon, Editor of "The Utah Farmer" Fully one-half of the wheat grown in the United States originated in Russia. A bag of wheat from the Volga river valley, furnished seed for the first planting of hard-red spring wheat on the American continent and made possible the production of this cereal in regions that had long been consid- ered too far north. From the territory north and east of the Black Sea came the progenitors of our hard-red winter wheats which proved to be able to thrive in spite of the rigorous climate of our Great Plains and made possible a rapid westward drift of our wheat belt. Then a third, the durum or "macaroni" group of wheats emerged from that Slavonic nation, this time from the Kirghiz Steppe region of western Siberia, and upon finding a new home in the United States added millions of bushels to our wheat supply. The story of the introduction and establishment of these wheats com- prises an interesting chapter of the agricultural history of our nation. It is doubly interesting at this time, because the United States, owing to Russia's agricultural breakdown, is expected by other nations to supply an unusually large proportion of the world's wheat crop. This story also develops an appreciation of the fact that, while Russia may be a novice in the art of democratic government, she is a past master of scientific crop husbandry. For most of our hard wheats, although highly developed by plant-breeders of the United States, may be traced back to hardy types long ago, improved by Russia's peasantry. The history of Russian wheat in North America begins about 1842. In that year, David Fife of Ontario, Canada, received a small lot through a friend in Glascow, Scotland, who obtained it from a cargo shipped from Danzig from the northern Volga River Valley. Mr. Fife, not knowing whether the wheat was of the spring or winter type, planted some, as an experiment, in the spring. Only three heads matured, and these apparently came from a single grain — the only spring-wheat kernel in the lot that was planted, all the others proving to be of the winter type. From those three heads was developed the well known Fife group of hard-spring wheats. The different strains of Fife spring wheats appearing under a variety of local names, now comprise the bulk of our standard grades and are among the highest priced wheats on the market. But the Scotch name is misleading, as this wheat is distinctly Russian. Just how and when this hard-spring wheat found its way into the United States from Ontario is not clear; nor does it matter. The point of special interest is that it proved to be surprisingly well adapted to the conditions of soil and climate in Minnesota and later in North and South Dakota. Today it is grown also in limited areas of Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, and Montana. Within the region thus defined is pro- duced most of our spring wheat, which amounts to about one-third of our total wheat crop. Although this Scotch-bred Russian wheat is especially well adapted to the soil and climate of our northern plains states, commercially it was very unpopular when first introduced into the United States. At that time millers were not equipped to handle it, as it was so much harder than our common wheat, and what flour was made from it was of such a creamy cast that it was looked upon as unfit for bread making. Wheat buyers discriminated against the hard wheat, paying the growers 15 to 25 cents a bushel less than for soft wheat, and bakers refused to accept the flour

1122 IMPROVEMENT ERA except at a discount. So while the variety was at hand with which to extend the northwestern limits of the wheat belt, it was not until after 1870 that the center of production really began to shift. The year 1870 is as epochal in our wheat history as 1793 in the history of cotton in this country. For to the same degree that the in- vention of the cotton gin marked the advent of a rapid and broad expansion of cotton growing, the adoption by this country of a French machine known as a wheat flour purifier was influential in the extension of hard wheat growing. This machine was first constructed in Minneapolis by a French- man named La Croix. By means of the purifier, the miller is said to have been enabled to produce from "the strongly colored but nutritious middlings of hard wheat a flour suited in texture and color to the popular demand." But just as the cotton gin was insufficient to allow a maximum de- velopment of our cotton industry without the Arkwright patents, the spin- ning jenny, the roving mule and other devices necessary in the manufacture of cotton, so was the wheat-flour purifier insufficient to permit of maximum extension of hard-wheat growing without a better means of crushing the wheat. This means was provided eight years later (1878) by Governor C. C. Washburn who installed the first complete roller mill in the United States. Instead of pulverizing the kernels, as with the old style stone burs, ■ -si m Ml IE "Turkey" wheat, of which this is a typical head, was introduced into the United States by Russian immigrants about 18 70, but it was only within the last decade that this type of wheat was adopted by the farmers of Utah. It is now grown almost exclusively on our dry farms and is the prin- cipal winter wheat planted on our irrigated farms. The millers of this state are partial to "Turkey" as a hard-red winter wheat. the rolls crushed and flaked them, thus making practicable a more perfect separation of the particles in the latter milling processes. It must not be inferred that the working out of these improvements in flour milling resulted from any keen desire on the part of millers to promote a greater production of hard-spring wheat. Nor did the later general adop- tion of the purifier and roll signify that millers were converted to the idea that hard wheats were to become of real commercial importance, as much as it indicated a general desire on the part of millers to improve their mill products, chiefly manufactured from soft wheats. It has been shown that the Russian wheat was unpopular up to the time that La Croix and Washburn introduced the innovations upon which our systems of "high grinding" are based, and it probably would have remained unpopular for years to come had the matter of extending it been left largely to the millers and bakers. The purifier and roll simply cleared a path for what was to follow. The extension of hard-spring wheat growing in Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota and parts of adjacent states was inevitable, be- cause upon this type of wheat largely depended the agricultural development of that region. The pioneers were moving west, farther and farther into the plains. They had found that our soft wheats could not produce profit- ably in that climate, while the Russian hard-spring wheat could. The lattei

RUSSIA'S CONTRIBUTION 1123 had been bred, generation after generation, under similar conditions in the far away Volga Valley. In fact it was admirably adapted to the needs of the pioneers of our northern plains, so it was simply up to the millers to prepare to handle the crops that were bound to be produced in that section. Fortunately, the improved milling processes made this possible. The natural result of this phenomenal increase in the amount of production of spring- wheat which followed the migration of farmers into the northwest, and the resultant increase in the amount of grain handled and milled in that region, was a shifting of wheat and flour markets — from eastern to western cities. Meantime, an equally important event had transpired in the Central Great Plains states. In the year 1873 some immigrants from southern Russia who had previously settled temporarily in Illinois and Iowa moved on to the plains of Kansas, so much like their home country, and brought with them another kind of hard wheat, this time one of the winter type. By the time the great westward extension of the hard-spring wheat area began, this kind of hard-winter wheat had become well enough established in Kansas and adjoining states to prove the value of the central plains as a hard wheat region. Thus, almost simultaneously the virgin land of the north and that of the central plains was broken to receive the seed of these Russian plant immigrants, the hard-spring wheat in the north, where the winters are severe, and hard-winter wheat in the middle plains where, sown in the fall, the crop could live to emerge in the early spring and hasten to maturity. The production of hard-winter wheat in this country is reported to have been a success from the first planting. Doubtless this can be explained by the unusual, but altogether desirable method of introducing the crop. The people who had grown the wheat in Russia for years came with it and planted and cultivated it as they had been used to doing in Taurida, Crimea, and Ekaterinoslav; and owing to the fact that soil and climatic conditions in these parts of Russia approximate those obtaining in the central Great Plains, it was but a natural consequence that splendid crops should be harvested. But though early recognized as agriculturally desirable, it was a long time before the commercial qualities of this wheat were generally appre- ciated. For some strange reason it was called "Turkey" wheat, a name still applied to this strain, though it is known to be of Russian origin. The name, however, probably had little to do with its failure to be readily re- ceived on the market and hence its failure to extend rapidly in cultivation. It seems that Kansas millers simply did not want to handle hard wheats and Minneapolis millers for unexplained reasons rejected the winter type, despite the fact that their experience with hard-spring wheat had been en- couraging. "Turkey" wheat had been grown in this country nearly a quarter of a century before its true value was appreciated. The need of such a wheat was soon made plain to those hardy, fearless farmers who, in the 90's, pushed on to the western Plains to occupy the lands thrown open to entry by the Government. The farther west these plainsmen went the more severe grew the conditions. The winters were more open, often with little snow to blanket the ground and thus afford protection to the fall sown grain, and spring and summer conditions were such as to reduce the yields of spring wheat. What was needed was a wheat hardy enough to withstand the cold winters and drought-resistant enough to mature in spite of a frequent shortage of rainfall. Then, too, there was the danger of hot winds to be taken into account. "Turkey" wheat met this urgent need to a greater degree than the softer common varieties because it originated in and was bred through generations under similar conditions. Very naturally, therefore, seed of it was in demand and the limited supply was far from adequate. Fresh sup-

1124 IMPROVEMENT ERA plies were imported from Russia, but this new seed is said to have yielded less abundantly than the local supplies of acclimatized seed. But the plant- ing of "Turkey" wheat continued until, through shear force of bushels on bushels, millers and bakers alike began to foresee and prepare for what surely must come. But as good as it had proved itself to be, "Turkey" wheat was not yet what a wheat should be to overcome the great handicap of the middle plains. This Russian variety was superior to our so-called American wheats when it came to fighting against cold and drought, but even then there were times when a crop failure or near failure was experienced. Owing to the increased consumption of this hard winter wheat, both in this country and abroad, a crop failure on the Plains seriously disturbed economic con- ditions the world over. Moreover, in such a year, the sad plight of the IJ ' If I'l 11 |i mM M 1 1 111 Bm flr'Sl ' ■» . § - Types of hard wheat of Russian origin; number 1 and 3 are typical of the hard- red winter varieties, as "Turkey" and Kharkof. Numbers 2 and 4 are representative of the common, beardless type of Russian hard-red spring wheat. Number 5 is of the Durum, or "Macaroni" type. The hard-red winter type of wheat, represented chiefly by the "Turkey" variety, has of late years become the most widely grown dry farm wheat in the intermountain territory — in fact, it is practically the only winter wheat grown here. It is planted extensively also on the irrigated farms of Utah, where it was virtually unknown 15 years ago. The hard-red spring type of wheat is grown to some extent on the irrigated farms of this and adjoining states, but it is not so common as the softer white wheats. Although some durum wheat has been planted in Utah, on dry as well as irrigated land, this type of wheat never has become established in this state. Plains' farmers was enough in itself to show the need' of serious attention being paid the matter of finding a more dependable wheat and better methods of growing it. The states comprising what was by this time called the "Wheat Belt." and the federal government as well, were not slow to seek a solution of the problem. Agricultural organizations in the Plains States had foreseen some of these difficulties and scientific investigators from the State Experiment Stations and the U. S. Department of Agriculture were striving to obtain helpful information. Though some good had been accomplished progress necessarily was slow, and it was soon apparent that something more should be done.

RUSSIA'S CONTRIBUTION 1125 Men of broad vision advised scouring the world for a suitable wheat and took steps to provide means for adequately studying under local con- ditions every imported variety that appeared promising. Funds were appro- priated and agricultural explorers detailed to this notable undertaking which led ultimately to the introduction of many valuable crops and the estab- lishment of a splendid series of field stations which has rendered invaluable service in recent years by way of studying the cultural problems of farming in the Great Plains. Knowing what the Russian hard wheats already had done in the United States, the logical thing to do was to send an expert over there with a view of finding something better than anything that had yet come to us by chance. Accordingly, the best man available, M. A. Carleton, of the U. S. Department of Agriculture himself a Kansan and familiar with the soil and climate of the Plains, was detailed to this important work. The choice of such a man was indeed fortunate. Only a man possessed of Mr. Carleton's thorough training, calm judgment and dogged perseverence could have secured the striking results now properly accredited to him by all who know of the problems encountered. This is not the place to follow him in his travels or even report in detail his findings. It is enough to say that he was gone f:om this country nearly a year on the first trip, from July, 1898 ot February, 1899, and made a second expedition in 1900. In that time he found wheat of many strains, and oats and other cereals, such as emmer and spelz. Each were studied there on the ground; the conditions under which they were grow- ing were described, and samples of each crop were sent back home with instructions for testing under our own conditions. Of all of these imported Russian cereals, two are of special interest in connection with the present subject. One of these is the Kharkof, hard-red winter wheat, and the other Kubanka a variety of durum or "macaroni" wheat, until then scarcely known in America. With Kharkof we can deai briefly, but the story of Kubanka cannot be so readily passed over. The Kharkof variety was obtained in 1900, in Starobelsk district of eastern Kharkof, which is further north and subject to greater drought and colder winds than Taurida, the district whence "Turkey" wheat came. It was to be expected, therefore, that Kharkof wheat would suit the needs of our Plains farmers better than "Turkey." In outward appearances Kharkof is identified with "Turkey." Both are bearded, resembling barley in some ways, and their chaff and straw a;e almost white. The kernels of each are hard and red, those of the Kharkof possibly a shade darker than the others. But in the very important matter of yield, Kharkof, after years of careful comparison appears to be superior to "Turkey." In some parts of the Great Plains, Kharkof is now grown almost exclusively, and half the wheat of Kansas is said to be of this variety, or of improved strains of this variety. Hence, to a very great extent, Kharkof has contributed toward making wheat growing safe in the Plains, unfortunately, however, even Kharkof the best found in Russia, seems to be unable to yield profitably under extreme conditions. But to do that is almost too much to expect of any crop. The point to keep in mind is that strains of the closely related "Turkey" and Kharkof types come much nearer meeting the requirements than soft wheats and in the Central Great Plains today they are grown almost to the exclusion of the latter. With Fife and other strains of hard-spring wheat well established in the north and "Turkey" and Kharkof in the central Great Plains, even as far south as Oklahoma, it would seem that the needs of this region were well provided for, so far as wheat varieties were concerned, but Mr. Carleton believed that durum wheats could be grown to advantage in this country and he doggedly set about establishing them. Fife and "Turkey" had a hard enough time winning a plact on the

1126 IMPROVEMENT ERA market, but their struggle was as naught compared with what Kubanka and other durum wheats encountered. Both the type of wheat and its sponsor were made the objects of ridicule. In the opinions of buyers, millers, and bakers alike, there was not and never would be a place in America for durum wheat, and that opinion was expressed in no uncertain terms. But those who held that opinion have lived to see durum wheat estab- lished in cultivation, chiefly in the Dakotas, and sometimes topping even hard-spring wheat on the markets. Moreover those same persons, who at first were so opposed to durum wheat, today are not only dealing in it but are actually classed among its staunchest supporters. If ever a fight was won against great odds, it was Kubanka's fight for a place in the pit, generaled by its genial sponser. A few statistics will be instructive. Kubanka and some other durum wheats were introduced in 1899 and 1900. In 1901 probably 60 to 70 thousand bushels were produced. Two years later production had reached 6 to 7 million bushels and in 1906 the crop was reported at 50,000,000 bushels. That crop flooded the poor market for durum wheat and the inevitable happened. This wheat sold far below hard-red spring and somt farmers, discouraged, abandoned its cultivation. Many persisted, however, and 1909 saw approximately 40,000,000 bushels of durum wheat pro- duced! But in 1910 and in 1911, owing to extreme drought, the yields dropped down to 24 and 16 million bushels, respectively, and by 1911 the price because of an increasing demand for American-grown durum wheat in Europe as well as in this country, was more nearly equitable, No. 1 Northern (hard-spring) topping No. Durum by only about 5 cents per bushel. Then came the crop of 1912, historic in the annals of durum wheat in the United States, when 40,000,000 bushels were produced and sold at a price above No. 1 Northern! Since then durum wheat has con- tinued to occupy a high position on our wheat exchanges. Kubanka was introduced from the Kirghiz Steppe district of Western Siberia in the vicinity of Uralsk and Orenburg. Like other wheats of this type it has unusually long beards, which make it objectionable in the eyes of some farmers. Millers were justified to some extent in complaining of the flintiness of the large amber kernels of the durum wheat, which called for certain readjustments of the milling machinery; but the value of this wheat for macaroni manufacture and its potential value as a bread wheat, besides its high yielding power and resistance to rust, made it sure of finally winning a place in this country. So these and other varieties of the three groups of Russian wheats, the hard-spring, the hard-winter, and the durum, in the face of much opposition, finally became acclimatized and permanently established in this country; and today perhaps more Russian hard wheat is produced here than all the other kinds combined. God's Touch God takes a man, his native son, And with a Father's deep design, He shapes an image like his own; To share with him a place divine. And when God's purpose is complete, Respecting man, his earthly clod. His touch awakes the Infinite And lo, his Son is now a God! Phoenix, Ariz. M. A. STEWART