fairly good yields in central Utah and central Montana. In these localities, however, it is outyielded by several other varieties of hard winter wheat. Where severe winterkilling may be expected Minturki offers considerable promise, especially in the subhumid and humid sections of the upper Mississippi Valley.
Minturki is softer than Turkey, Kharkof, and Kanred. When grown outside of Minnesota it is apparently inferior to them in flour yield and water absorption, but is about equal in protein content and equal to or superior to them in loaf volume. In Minnesota, where the development of this variety is more favorable, the Minturki has shown good comparative milling and baking quality.
Section 2.—HEADS BEARDLESS.
Only one commercial variety of hard red winter wheat is beardless.
ALTON.
Alton (Ghirka Winter) differs from Turkey in having beardless heads and shorter and softer kernels with a very small germ. Alton is of medium height and is midearly in ripening, being usually a day or two later than Turkey. The straw is stiffer than that of Turkey. The heads are slender and tapering.
Alton was introduced into the United States from Altonau, near Melitopol, in northern Taurida, Russia, by the United States Department of Agriculture in 1900. It was distributed to some extent, but its production has never become important. The wheat was formerly called Ghirka Winter, but has recently been renamed Alton. Mixtures of beardless hard red winter wheats nearly identical with Alton frequently are found in fields of Turkey. Many of these mixtures have been isolated and tested, but none of them has been grown commercially.
Alton is now grown to a slight extent in Colorado, Kansas, and Wyoming. In Colorado and Wyoming it is generally known as Ghirka Winter, but in Kansas its identity is lost.
Alton has given good yields in northeastern Colorado and southeastern Wyoming, but even in these sections the yields are less than those of Turkey, Kharkof, and Kanred. Unless it is desired to grow a beardless winter wheat Alton should be entirely replaced by Kanred. In milling and baking value, Alton is slightly inferior to most other hard winter wheats.
