ECONOMIC OR USEFUL PLANTS 393 



as lawn grasses, for pasture and for hay. The red top is often 

 grown for pasture, while timothy is widely grown for hay, and 

 the Kentucky blue grass or June grass is valuable for lawns as 

 well as for pasture and hay. 



555. The cereals, or grains. The cereals, or grains, are 

 grasses which are cultivated chiefly for the food present in the 

 seed fruit or grain, though the straw often makes excellent fodder 

 for stock and is used for a variety of other purposes. The chief 

 cereals are wheat, rye, oats, barley, rice, corn or maize. 



556. Wheat. Wheat is believed to have originated from a 

 species (Triticum ovatum) native to the Mediterranean region. 



Fig. 384- 



Bearded and bald wheat heads (common varieties of wheats grown at Pullman, 

 Washington). From Bureau of Plant Industry. 



It is one of the staple crops of the north temperate regions, since 

 wheat requires cool weather for the early stages of growth to 

 cause it to stool and become stocky and vigorous. A great many 

 different varieties of wheat are propagated for the different grades 

 of flour, because of their relation to different kinds of soil or 

 climate. The grains vary as to color and hardness. The heads 

 vary as to bearded or bald varieties, the awns on the palets being 

 very long and barbed in the bearded wheat. All of these kinds 



