In this volume, Grant MacEwan surveys the history of wheat growing on the Canadian prairies and its central role in the development of the West. He follows the crop from early settlement through the refinement of hardier and more productive strains, describing the work of plant breeders and the ongoing struggle against rust, insects, and climate.
MacEwan also traces changes in cultivation and harvesting methods, charting the shift from horse-drawn implements to mechanized equipment, and examines the rise of wheat pools, grain handling systems, and the export trade that linked prairie farms to world markets. The book closes with an overview of milling and the varied uses of wheat.
