i 4 2 THE WHEAT PLANT 



The grain is hard and breaks into angular fragments when crushed. 



If damp weather prevails the plant is soon discoloured by the growth 

 of fungi. 



The time which elapses between the escape of the ear from the upper 

 leaf-sheath and the ripening of the grain varies with the kind of wheat, 

 the date of appearance of the ear, and the climatic conditions of the locality 

 where the crop is grown. 



It is somewhat remarkable that many late forms with a long, vegeta- 

 tive period of growth tend to develop their grain more quickly than the 

 early or rapid-growing forms, the latter also appearing to require a higher 

 temperature and greater intensity of sunlight for the process than the 

 former. 



Sown in the ordinary season in autumn or spring at Reading, the time 

 between " earing " and ripening is usually from 55 to 63 days. By 

 reference to the tables on pp. 86-88, however, it is seen that the period 

 may extend to 80 days or more in the case of certain wheats sown very 

 early or very late, especially in seasons (such as 1912) which prove to be 

 dull, wet or cool in late summer. 



By sowing at abnormal times the production of ears may be delayed 

 until the end of September or later, but in such cases the grain does not 

 ripen, as the growth is checked by the low temperature and diminished 

 light of autumn. 



Wheats ripen best at Reading between the last week in July and the 

 second week in August. 



The earliest date at which ripening occurs in any wheat at Reading 

 is during the last ten days of July, the ears in such cases escaping from 

 their sheaths about the first week of June. 



The latest period is about the middle of September, and to ripen by 

 that time the ears must appear not later than the early part of July. 



Late or autumn forms of wheat at Reading must be sown before the 

 middle of March, or they rarely ripen grain in that season, although when 

 sown as late as April 5 they develop ears in due course in August or 

 September. 



Most early or spring forms must be sown before the middle of April 

 or they will not ripen grain, although some of them produce ears in late 

 summer if sown as late as the first week of July. 



Fife wheat sown at Reading between August and the first week of 

 December usually ripens in the first ten days of the following August ; 

 sown in January, February, or March, ripening occurs between the middle 

 and the end of August (p. 86). 



The later forms of English autumn wheats sown between August and 

 December ripen about the middle of August ; sown in January or 

 February the ripening may be delayed until the end of August or 



