(Triticum aestivum); Heritage - Centennial; Soft Red Winter; a New York State Connection cultivar; Fall-planted; Minimum 50 seeds
This soft red winter wheat cultivar was developed in New York State in 1906 by A.N. Jones. Lax fusiform spikes are awnletted. Described in Philadelphia seedsman Wm. Henry Maule's 1919 Seed Catalog:
"A good and reliable yielder; very popular. A vigorous, tall growing, red grained, bald variety. In favor on account of its hardiness, stooling and good yielding qualities. It stands unfavorable weather conditions much better than the average wheat; extremely hardy, giving satisfaction everywhere. The grain is large and plump and well liked by millers."
A bit about A.N. Jones - A farmer living in Newark, Wayne County New York until about 1890 when he moved to Leroy, Genesee County, Mr. Jones has the distinction of creating at least 15 cultivars from hybridization, the process of selection from progeny of artificial crosses, that were then under commercial production between 1886 and 1906. One of the first to practice composite crossing, Early Genesee Giant, the result of 8 successive crosses, is one of his cultivars widely distributed in 1893. In addition to Red Wave, several of Mr. Jones' cultivars, Jones Fife, Silversheaf, and Red Clawson are still grown.
1887 began the gradual transference of wheat improvement projects from the fields of everyday farmers to "trained investigators" in the United States Department of Agriculture and the various State Agriculture Experiment Stations so we are proud to recognize the efforts of individuals such as Mr. A.N. Jones by including Red Wave in our wheat plots.
