SOME PKOPERTIES OF THE WHEAT KERNEL, 



57 



This table shows no constant relation between the specific gravity 

 and the number of kernels on the spike. With an increase in the 

 specific gravity there is an increase in the weight of the kernels on the 

 spike, and with some exceptions an increase in the weight of the 

 average kernel. As the specific gravity increases, the percentage of 

 proteid nitrogen decreases, which agrees with the previous table. 

 The grams of proteid nitrogen in the kernels on the spikes and in the 

 average kernel increase with the specific gravity. 



Table 7 shows the summary of the same analyses, arranged accord- 

 ing to the weight of the average kernel. Spikes whose Jvernels have 

 an average weight of less than 0.024 gram form the first class, and 

 each succeeding class increases by 0.002 gram. 



Table 7. — Summary of analyses of spiJces of wheat, arranged according to weight of average 



Icernel. Crop of 1902. 



Range of weight of 



average kernel 



(gram). 



Below 0.024 



0.024 to 0.02fi 



0.026 to 0.02S 



0.028 to 0.030 



0.030 to 0.032 



0.032 and over. . . 



Weight 

 of aver- 

 age ker- 

 nel 

 (gram). 



Number of — 



0. 02214 

 .02528 

 . 02705 

 .02896 

 .03089 

 .03324 



^^- Kernels. 



27 

 38 

 48 

 40 

 26 

 19 



16.9 

 17.5 

 17.0 

 17.0 

 17.0 

 16.8 



Proteid nitrogen 

 (gram) in — 



Average 

 kernel. 



Kernels . 



0.0007184 

 .0008294 

 .0008711 

 .0009090 

 .0008787 

 .0009594 



0.01215 

 .014.38 

 .01475 

 .01546 

 .01506 

 .01617 



There seems to be no relation between the weight of the average 

 kernel and the number of kernels on the spike. The weight of all 

 the kernels on the spike naturally increases with the weight of the 

 average kernel. The specific gravity of the kernels increases with 

 the weight of the average kernel. The percentage of proteid nitrogen 

 decreases with an increase in the weight of the average kernel, in 

 which respect it agrees with the two previous tables. The grams of 

 proteid nitrogen in the average kernel and the total proteid nitrogen 

 in the spike increase with the weight of the average kernel. 



Samples from each of the spikes of wheat from which these data 

 were derived were planted, together with samples from other spikes, 

 all of which have been analyzed, aggregating 800 in all. Each kernel 

 was planted separately at a distance of 6 inches each way from every 

 other kernel. The kernels from each spike were marked by a stake 

 bearing the record number of the spike. 



During the winter a considerable number of plants were killed, so 

 that the stand was irregular in the spring. In some cases all of the 

 plants resulting from a spike of the previous year were killed, and in 

 other cases only a portion of such plants. The result was a some- 

 what uneven stand, which doubtless gave certain plants an advantage 

 over others in growth and yield. 



