P.W.A. FUNDS APPLICABLE UNDER THIS HEADING

An allotment under the National Industrial Recovery Act has been made, subsequent to October 31, 1933, for physical improvements, as follows: Construction of office, laboratory, and storage building, $6,500.

NATURE OF WORK CARRIED ON

Mr. SANDLIN. Do you wish to present anything else in connection with the item?

Mr. RYERSON. Do you wish a general statement other than the one submitted with reference to the general work of the division? Mr. SANDLIN. Yes.

Mr. RYERSON. The work under this appropriation takes in all of the cereals and their improvement, including the cultural practices that are adaptable to different regions of the entire country. It includes the breeding and selection of better varieties than we now have; the control of all cereal diseases, of which there are many, and the breeding of resistant types. The work of this division is conducted almost entirely in cooperation with the various State stations. This plan has been found to be the most successful way of carrying on the various research projects under this division, and this method has resulted in the results that we have obtained. We have asked Dr. McCall, who is in charge of this division, to answer any technical questions that you may ask. He is present this morning.

Mr. SANDLIN. Dr. McCall, do you have any statement you wish to make on this item dealing with cereal crops and their diseases? Dr. MCCALL. May I make one general statement, Mr. Chairman? Mr. SANDLIN. Certainly.

Dr. MCCALL. It is very difficult to divide the activities of our various projects as they are listed here for the reason that at a field station it is possible for us to use the same personnel in working on practically all of the various crops. So far as the field station activities are concerned, the divisions in the appropriation items are based largely on the relative proportions of time which the individuals devote to the various projects as they are shown in your outline. The two exceptions to that are in the case of the corn project and the rice project, which are so highly specialized that a few persons devote their entire time to those activities.

Mr. SANDLIN. Will you make a statement covering all of the activities, leaving the corn and the rice work for the present. Mr. SINCLAIR. The first item is barley.

Dr. McCALL. Yes, sir.

Mr. SINCLAIR. That happens to be more important at the present time than it has been heretofore.

BARLEY INVESTIGATIONS

Dr. McCALL. The barley project is an extremely important one at this time, because of the great interest in malting barley. As an example, I might cite the large number of inquiries we are receiving relative to the conditions which are necessary for the production of malting barley. That is because of the high premiums that have been offered during the past 2 years for superior malting barley. There has been a very greatly increased interest in this particular phase of barley production. Also, in this connection it might be

desirable to state that the conditions are so specialized that, while barley can be grown in the larger part of the country, malting barley can be grown in a relatively small proportion of the barley area. Mr. SINCLAIR. In what area is that?

Dr. MCCALL. That would be in the north central part of the United States.

Mr. SINCLAIR. That is where malting barley is grown?

Dr. McCALL. Yes, sir.

Mr. SINCLAIR. It can be grown in the North Central States, or in my territory?

Dr. MCCALL. Yes, sir.

Mr. SANDLIN. It can be produced in South Dakota?

Dr. McCALL. Yes, sir; in some years superior malting barley is grown in the Dakotas, but in other years, depending upon the climatic conditions, it is not so good.

Mr. SINCLAIR. We are going to have to cut down on the production of wheat, and we want to know if we can get something else to take its place. If barley can be grown profitably, that will be one crop that we can diversify on.

Dr. MCCALL. In that connection, I might say that the barley acreage has been increasing steadily during the past 15 years, in spite of the fact that during a large part of that period prohibition was in effect. The reason for that is the increasing use of barley for feed purposes. In the long run that will be the most important use of the crop. For instance, in 1932 the crop produced was 300,000,000 bushels. Under ordinary conditions we cannot expect that more than 60,000,000 bushels will be used for malting purposes. Mr. SINCLAIR. Will it be as limited a quantity as that?

Dr. McCALL. Not much more than 60,000,000 bushels can be used for malting purposes, so that the malting use constitutes only a limited part of the demand for barley. In this connection, I might mention that the disease phase of barley investigations is emphasized because diseases seriously reduce the quality of barley from the malting standpoint. It means that we must pay particular attention to that factor in the production of high quality barley. There is no question, however, but what the man who pays attention to all factors-proper variety, good culture, climate, and so forth-can produce high quality malting barley.

Mr. SINCLAIR. In the production of malting barley, you have to have favorable climatic conditions as well as proper seeding.

Dr. McCALL. Yes, sir. Variety represents only one phase of it. This past year, on account of unfavorable conditions, there was only a limited amount of good malting barley produced anywhere in this

country.

Mr. SINCLAIR. Some people tell us that our barley is not so good. They say that the Canadian barley is superior to ours, especially the barley grown up around the Great Lakes in Ontario. That barley commands a premium over the barley grown in this country.

Dr. McCALL. In certain seasons, the barley grown in North Dakota is just as good as any. For instance, about 4 years ago practically as good malting barley came out of the Dakotas as was produced anywhere else. They did not have any anywhere else then. Mr. HART. How about Michigan?

Dr. McCALL. The type of barley grown most widely in Michigan is good barley, but it is not like the barleys most desired by the maltsters for the reason that it is a slightly different type. It has a larger kernel. It is not less valuable for malting purposes, except that the technique that is used in this country demands a slightly different type of barley.

Mr. HART. There is quite a demand for that barley for making pearled barley.

Dr. McCALL. Yes, sir; it is a very high quality barley for that

purpose.

Mr. SANDLIN. You may continue your statement, Doctor.

Dr. McCALL. I think that covers in a very general way what I would say with reference to barley.

WINTER BARLEY PRODUCTION IN SOUTHERN AREAS

I might mention the fact that we have a southern area where winter barley can be grown. Specifically, it is an important crop for winter cover, and also for feed and pasturage. I believe that in a certain part of Missouri they are using it quite successfully in areas where they have a heavy infestation of the chinch bug in pastures. They use it as a trap for chinch bugs. By using it for winter and early spring pasture, plowing it up before migration, they are able to destroy the chinch bugs.

Mr. CANNON. Just lately they have introduced their plan of securing the maximum forage by putting the cattle on blue grass pasture, say, from the middle of April until June. Then they put them on lespedeza until July or August, the months when the blue grass drys up, and the months in which the over-grazing damages the pasture. When the lespedeza pasturage fails, they switch to winter barley. That seems to give them a year-around ration. I was wondering if you have given any attention to that subject.

Dr. MCCALL. No particular attention, other than the fact that for a long period of time we have been interested, of course, in the use of winter barley in the Southern area where it can be grown.

Mr. CANNON. Do you find winter barley a practical pasturage in the fall?

Dr. McCALL. Yes, sir.

USE OF MALTING BARLEY

Mr. HART. There was a lot of barley used, of course, for malting purposes during the period of prohibition. We have a lot of nonalcoholic beers in which malting barleys are used. Do you look for much of an increase in that use?

Dr. McCALL. During the prohibition period there were approximately 25,000,000 bushels used annually for malting purposes, and it is estimated that this will probably be increased to 60,000,000 bushels, or between 50,000,000 and 60,000,000 bushels.

Mr. HART. Since the cultivation of barley has been taken up quite strenuously with the increased demand for malting purposes, that will affect the market quite a little, will it not?

Dr. MCCALL. It does affect the market for high quality barley. Mr. THURSTON. Land that heretofore has been used for wheat will be devoted to the production of barley, probably.

Mr. SINCLAIR. They will devote more land to the production of high-class barley. They will be more specially interested in the production of malting barley.

CORN PRODUCTION AND IMPROVEMENT

Mr. SANDLIN. The next project relates to corn production and improvement. Who will discuss that?

Mr. RYERSON. Mr. Richey will discuss that.

Mr. RICHEY. This program is concerned primarily with breeding. In addition to that, we are studying methods of culture, fertilizing, corn diseases, and so forth. The diseases are dealt with both from the standpoint of control through seed treatment, and from the standpoint of breeding disease resistant varieties. That work is carried on largely in the Corn Belt. In addition, we have work under way in some other States, all of the work being done in cooperation with State experiment stations. Methods of corn breeding have been developed which permit a materially larger acre yield and a much greater certainty of production from year to year, thereby promoting the success of planned production. The breeding method is completely new. This has been developed within the past 15 years and involves the production of hybrid seed from special plantings each year. Therefore, it has not had very wide practical use as yet, but the use will be larger.

This year there will be some 600 acres devoted to hybrid seed corn production in Iowa from the material that we have developed in cooperation with the Iowa agricultural experiment station at Ames. This will produce in the neighborhood of 18,000 bushels of seed corn, enough to plant 100,000 acres which can be conservatively expected to yield 10 bushels per acre more than if in ordinary corn. In addition to the larger acre yield, the stalks are stiffer, and there is more certainty of production. It is more resistant to drought and cold. It is not immune to these things, but it is more certain to come through adverse conditions than the ordinary corn.

Mr. SINCLAIR. Is that because it ripens in a shorter time?

Mr. RICHEY. No, sir; the period required by this corn for maturing will be essentially the same as for the corn grown locally. Adapted corn varieties are very closely adjusted to the season in the locality, so that, other things being equal, the kinds that most nearly utilize the available growing season will yield the most.

Mr. THURSTON. Should not the farmer buy seed corn that has been propagated in the vicinity of the land that he expects to use in the production of corn?

Mr. RICHEY. In general, yes, or from a vicinity having similar conditions. This hybrid corn may be adapted to a locality at some distance from that in which the seed is produced. Through experimentation, we can tell the farmer whether the hybrid will be suited to his particular locality.

Mr. SINCLAIR. Is it a fact that the period it takes to mature certain varieties of corn is much less than in the case of some other varieties? Mr. RICHEY. Yes, sir. The corn grown in North Dakota is generally a 90-day or 100-day corn. In South Carolina and Georgia it requires 6 months or 180 days to mature the varieties they use.

Mr. SINCLAIR. Are you familiar with what we call "squaw" corn, that was grown by the Indians?

Mr. RICHEY. Yes, sir.

Mr. SANDLIN. In a cold climate it has to grow faster.

Mr. RICHEY. Yes, sir; and it will mature faster.

Mr. SINCLAIR. It has a greater amount of sunlight.

Mr. RICHEY. Yes, sir. In any locality the most productive corn, other things being equal, is the variety that will most nearly utilize all of the available growing season, from spring to fall. For that reason, varieties of corn are very local in their adaptation.

Mr. THURSTON. Are you giving any attention to the question of whether we can get varieties of corn that will produce more alcohol? Mr. RICHEY. We are considering the subject of the composition of the kernel, but not so much for alcohol because starch is the largest component of corn. We do not have to give much attention to that, because there is a plenty there for alcohol. Some work has been done on the problem of increasing the protein content of corn, so as to give it a better feeding value.

Mr. THURSTON. Are you giving any attention to the development of varieties of corn that would be better suited for the production of corn sugar?

Mr. RICHEY. There again, that would involve the starch content. Mr. THURSTON. Of course, you are familiar with the fact that the number of horses has been greatly decreased, and probably there has been no increase in the number of cattle and hogs, or it has not increased much. Therefore, the surplus products of the farms must be diverted to commercial or, possibly, industrial uses, and we will want to have all the available information.

VALUE OF CORN FOR COMMERCIAL UTILIZATION

Mr. RICHEY. There has been an improvement rather lately. I may say that up to the present time there has been very little profit to the farmers in increasing the value of corn for commercial utilization because the corn products manufacturers have in general bought the cheapest grade of corn they could buy. By the time they put it through their manufacturing processes it did not make much difference whether it had been partially spoiled. The determining item there was that they bought the cheapest corn. In the last few years the quality of corn has been better because of favorable seasons and they are beginning to be interested now in the possibility of the development of corn that may have a higher starch content. There is a difference in the way the starches are laid down in the corn kernel. Recent studies have shown that more of the starch can be recovered from some strains than from others. That is a rather long-time problem but should be attacked.

Mr. THURSTON. Now that we are producing so much corn that we cannot profitably market, it seems to me we should emphasize and give special thought to the use of corn that can go into other products, such as alcohol. We know great quantities are being used now for corn sugar and probably the time will come when that process will be improved until we will have corn sugar the same as we can have cane and beet sugar and artichoke sugar. Are you giving attention to the development along those lines?