CHAPTER II 

 THE WHEAT PLANT 



BOTANISTS tell us that wheat is a grass. Its 

 development from a wild grass to that of the 

 domesticated plant of to-day is fairly well known 

 and forms an interesting study. From the stand- 

 point of industry, however, we are more concerned 

 with its present than its past. The wheat plant 

 is one of our leading life resources, for it yields the 

 world's greatest bread cereal. Let us become 

 better acquainted with this plant before taking 

 up the industry of which it forms the basis. 



The Parts of the Wheat Plant. - -The plant is all 

 that grows from one seed, and its parts are the 

 roots, stems, leaves, and heads. These work 

 together in producing the grain. The young 

 plant appears to be for the most part leaves and 

 roots. The older plants have prominent stems or 

 stalks supporting heads, called spikes. In these 

 heads are formed the flowers and kernels. A brief 

 description of these parts will serve to show what 

 the wheat plant is like. Learning some of these 

 things will prepare us to understand the processes 



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