THE GRAIN 



21 



In the following table are given the results obtained from pot cultures 

 at Woburn in 1900 : 



Plants allowed plenty of space always yield a higher proportion of 

 flinty grains than those which are closely crowded ; below is given the 

 percentage of mealy and flinty grains in a vulgare wheat, grown at various 

 intervals in rows from 6 inches to 24 inches apart ; generally in samples 

 of the same wheat produced under ordinary field culture 90 per cent of 

 the grains are mealy or half-mealy. 



"SWAN" WHEAT 

 PERCENTAGE OF FLINTY, HALF-MEALY, AND MEALY GRAINS 



Area allotted to each Plant. 



Inches. 

 6x i. 



Inches. 

 6x3. 



Inches. 

 6x6. 



Inches. Inches. Inches. 

 12x6. 12X12. 24 x 24. 



Mealy . 

 Half- mealy 

 Flinty 



per cent, per cent, per cent, per cent, per cent, per cent. 

 9-5 io-I 6-4 3-7 3'2 -2 



12-7 3-8 2-6 



22-2 



68-3 



1-2 



89-8 



93'7 



3'3 



93'5 



1-2 



98-6 



Although the translucency or opacity of the endosperm is a physical 

 phenomenon it is correlated with the amount of nitrogen present, the 

 flinty grains being always richer in this element than the mealy grains of 

 the same sample. 



Moreover, flintiness can be induced in any form of T. vulgare by 

 application of large amounts of nitrate of soda or sulphate of ammonia. 



