Durum Wheat

a variety of common wheat. Durum means hard, having refence to the hardness of the kernel. The United States Department of Agriculture began experiments with durum wheat in 1896. A number of state experimental stations took it up. Durum wheat has two qualities that commend it to the farmer. It resists rust, and it may be grown in regions of light rainfall. It is a favorite with raisers who practice dry farming. In the southern part of Kansas it is sown as winter wheat. Farther northward it is raised entirely as a spring wheat. The head is large and bearded, having somewhat the appearance of barley. The kernel is large, and is pointed at each end. It has a clear, transparent appearance, owing to the fact that the durum kernel contains less starch than other varieties. Flour made from durum wheat is used largely in the manufacture of macaroni and spaghetti. For this reason it is called not infrequently macaroni wheat. Durum wheat is used also to mix with the softer wheats in the making of flour. In 1906 the United States produced about 50,000 bushels of this variety of wheat. It bids fair to become the popular wheat of the Great Plains region.