In London the lowest points in the 19th century as respects tho annual average price of xvheat was 38s. 7d. in 1851 ; in 1835 it was 39s. 4d. • and in 1864, 40s. 3d. The following has been de yearly average price of wheat during the past 25 years : Year. s. d. Year. s. d. Year. s. 1.
1859, . . 43 9 1868, . . 63 9 187G, . 46 2 1860, . 5.3 3 1859, . . 48 2 1877, . . 56 9 1861, . 55 4 1870, . . 46 11 1878, . 46 5 1862, . 55 5 1871, . . 56 8 1879, . 43 10 1863, . 44 9 , 1372, . 57 0 1880, . 44 4 1864, . 40 3 1873, . . 58 8 1881, . 45 4 1865, . 41 10 1874, . . 55 9 1882, . . 45 1 1866, . 49 11 1875, . . 45 2 1883, . 41 7 1867, . 64 5 In India, several species and varieties of wheat are grown, viz.: Triticum vulgare, Var. hybernum or winter wheat. T. vulgare, Var. xstivum or spring wheat.
T. compositum, Egyptian wheat.
T. spelta, bere or spelt, much cultivated in France.
T. monococcum, remarkable for its single row of grain.
That which is chiefly cultivated in England is the T. vulgare. Of this there are two vaneties, T. restivuni or summer wheat, and T. hybernum or winter wheat ; the former is sown in the spring, and the latter in the autumn. Of these varieties, again, there are several different modifications.
In India, wheat of all kinds is the growth of the rabi or spring harvest. The number of varieties in the Panjab is not in reality very great, though considerable difference of nomenclature exists. Wheat is sown in the months of Kartak and first half of Maghar, and is cut in Baisakh (April). Wheat is often sown mixed with barley ; this is called goji in the Panjab, and trikala in Cis-Sutlej States ; or with gram, Cicer arietinum, and then called bliera ; or the red and white varieties are sown together under the name of jogyan. The principal difference observable in Panjab wheats is that some aro bearded aud some aro awnless. There are two sorts of the bearded wheat, one with a dark-coloured beard, the other with a light yellow beard.
Gerard speaks of wheat at 10,000 and Captain Webb at 12,000 feet on the southern slope of the Himalaytk The extreme limit is given at 13,000 to 15,000 feet. Wheat grows to a height of 13,000 feet at Lam and Ladang, above Dangk-kar in the Spiti valley. In the valley of the Indus, it apperu-s Ugslie and Chiinm at 11,000 to 12,000 feet. A wheat, called daud-kliani, with a bu-ge and very white grain, was introduced from the N.W.
Provinces, and grown chiefly on the banks of the Sutlej, on alluvial and irrigated lands. It is much used by sweatmeat makers on account of its being so white. It sells, where grown, at about 31 to 32 seers per rupee, always cheaper than pamman, being considered inferior.
Multan wheat is beardless, and its grain long and heavy. It is exported in large quantities to Rajputana and to Sind.
Four kinds of wheat are grown in Oudh, called Safeda MorilWah (which is awnless), Samodwah, and The first two are the best kinds, and were sold from 16 to 40 seers per rupee, according to the abundance of the season. The other two kinds are those most generally sown. When the wheat crop is from 4 to 6 inches high, it is irrigated once, and then a second tinie when it begins to flower. It is grown on heavy soils, and generally near the banks of rivers. It is sown in October.
In Sumbuipur district, wheat is extensively cultivated. The flour made from it is excellent, as is the bread.
A beautiful wheat is produced in the Jubbul pur, Narsingpur, and Hoshangabad districts, all along the line of the railway to Bombay.
Wheat is grown largely in the Burmese terri tories. The soil of Pegu is too moist, and the climate too damp for it.
Wheat is grown to a considerable extent in the Bara-Mahal district of the Madras Presidency.
All kinds of wheat contain water in greater or lesser quantities. Its amount is greater in cold countries than in warm. In Alsace from 16 to 20 per cent.•, England frorn 14 to 17 per cent.; United States from 12 to 14 per cent.; Africa and Sicily from 9 to 11 per cent. This accounts for the fact that the same weight of southern flour yields more bread than northern ; English wheat yields 13 lbs. more to the quarter than Scotch. Alabama flour, it is said, yields 20 per cent. more , than that of Cincinnati. And in general, American flour absorbs 8 or 10 per cent. more of its own weight of water in being made into bread than the English. The English grain is fuller and rounder than the American, being puffed up with moisture. To ascertain the amount of water in flour, take a small sample, say five ounces, and .weigh it carefully ; put it into a dry vessel, which should be heated by boiling water ; after six or seven hours, weigh it ; its loss of weight shows the original amount of water.