35 



come from the thresher), however, look considerably like those of 

 spelt, but difi'er principally in the presence always of a short pointed 

 pedicel. This pedicel, which is really a portion of the rachis (stem) 

 of the head, if attached at all to the spelt spikelets, is always very 

 blunt and much thicker. Besides, the emmer spikelets are flattened 

 on the inner side, and not arched as in spelt, so that they do not stand 

 out from the rachis as the spelt spikelets do, but lie close to it and to 

 each other, forming a solidly compact head. The spikelets are usually 

 two-grained, one grain being located a little higher than the other. 

 The outer chafi' is boat-shaped, keeled, and toothed at the apex. The 

 grain is somewhat similar to that of spelt, but is usually harder, more 

 compressed at the sides, and redder in color. 



' For the production of new varieties by hybridization emmer has 

 qualities similar to those of spelt, but still more valuable. At the 

 same time emmer, besides possessing harder grain, is more resistant 

 to drought, and usually rather resistant to orange leaf ru.'^t. It is well 

 adapted for cultivation in the northern States of the Plains and has 

 already proved very valuable as a hardy forage plant in that region, 

 besides giving a good yield of grain per acre. Almost all varieties 

 are spring grown. Of other countries emmer is chiefly cultivated in 

 Russia, Germany, Spain, Italy, and Servia, and to some extent in 

 France. The emmer of this country is descended from seed originally 

 obtained chiefly from Russia, where a considerable portion of the food 

 of the peasants of the Volga region is a sort of gruel ("kasha") made 

 from hulled and cracked emmer. 



The desirable qualities furnished by this group of wheats are: 



(1) Power of holding the grain in the head. 



(2) Drought resistance. 



(3) Resistance to orange leaf rust. 



The undesirable qualities are: 



(1) Brittleness of the head. 



(2) Adaptability only for spring sowing. 



EiNKORN (T. monococcum). 



This species of wheat is very distinct from any of the others, though 

 the heads resemble those of emmer somewhat. It has no F^nglish 

 name, but is called Einkorn in German and erigrain in French. The 

 German name is adopted here. 



Einkorn (Plate VII) is a short, thin, and narrow-leaved plant, which 

 presents a peculiar appearance in the Held. It seldom reaches a height 

 of more than 3 feet. The stem is iiollow, thin, and very stitt". The 

 leaves are usually quite narrow, soinetimes hairy. Those of the young 

 plant are sometimes bluish-green, and after flowering the plant becomes 

 yellowish-green. Portions of the stem may also be brown. The 

 heads are slender, narrow, very compact, bearded, and much flattened 



