America's Crop Heritage


Arnold's Hybrid No. 9 was imported for the fall sowing of 1872.
However, the results proved this hybrid to be similar to the
Mediterranean.
 After 1870 many breeders turned their attention to hybrid-
ization or artificial crossing. Out of their efforts came two varieties
which aroused much interest among wheat growers. These were
the Fultz, and a variety from Virginia called the Tappahannock.
 Commissioners Le Duc and Colman realized the need for
varieties adapted to particular regions. Le Duc wanted a rustproof
wheat for the South, and a wheat that would not winterkill on
the prairies. Rusk renewed the interest shown in the Mediter-
ranean and winter wheats, and five varieties of the Mediterranean
were procured in 1889 for distribution.

 OATS

 Although several varieties of oats were imported during the
1850's, little information is available about their effect on the
oat industry. It was not until the following decade that a number
of superior oat varieties made their appearance in this country.
The White Swedish, Yellow Lithuanian, Black Tartarian, Black
Prussian and Nun's were considered the best of seventeen varieties
sown in 1866.
 During the period 1865 to 1870 a number of other importations
were tried. The Potato, Scotch Dun, and New Brunswick oats were
brought from Scotland. Denmark contributed the black and white
Swedish oats. From England came the Excelsior and Somerset
varieties, and Germany's outstanding contribution was the White
Schonen. From these the Excelsior and the White Schonen were
chosen as the best. The Excelsior was suited to a wide variety of
soil and climate conditions, while the Schonen withstood rust.
 When the Fellow oat from Scotland was first distributed in
1873, it was acclaimed in some parts of the country as superior to
the White Schonen. Another English importation, the Board of
Trade oat, also made its appearance during the 1870's. The value
of these importations can be judged from an estimate made in
1879 of the increase in the yield of the nation's oat crop. It was
claimed that the White Schonen had raised the yield by two and a
half bushels per acre, and that the Board of Trade and Rustproof
varieties were worth $15,000,000 yearly to oat raisers.