EXERCISE 42 



TYPES OF WHEAT 



Statement. There are eight types of wheat: common wheat, club wheat, durum, speltz, emmer, 

 einkorn, polish, and poulard. About 90 per cent of the wheat grown in the United States is of the 

 common type. Common wheat is divided into two principal classes : winter wheat and spring wheat. 



Object. To distinguish the types of wheat 

 and to learn the points of merit of each. 



Materials. A collection of heads represent- 

 ing all the local types of wheat. These should 

 be collected before fully ripe, but after the 

 grains are formed. They may be fastened in 

 shallow boxes, and when dry may be kept for 

 class use for a long time. Since the school is 

 not in session when wheat is ripening, this col- 

 lection should be assigned for home work for 

 pupils. Besides the different types, varieties 

 of each type should be obtained. 



Directions. Make sketches showing the sur- 

 face characters of each type of head. In 

 your notes describe the way in which the 

 heads are formed. Remove and study a 

 cluster of kernels (spikelet) from the wheat 

 head, and make a drawing to show how the 

 spikelets are attached to the stem (rachis) 

 and how the kernels are protected. Does the 

 number of kernels vary in different spikelets? 

 Notice how the spikelets are arranged on the 

 rachis. Count the number of kernels in each 

 head ; the number of heads produced by a plant. 

 Find the embryo or germ in a wheat kernel. 

 In proportion to the size of the grain how does 

 it compare with the germ of the corn kernel ? 



Classify wheat heads which are examined 

 on basis of the spacing of the spikelets on the 

 rachis as (1) close and (2) wide. Classify them 

 on basis of the beards as (1) bearded, (2) slightly 



bearded, and (3) beardless. Measure the length of each head. Note whether it is slender, medium, or 



club shaped. Fill out the descriptive blanks given on the opposite page. 



Questions. Name the types of wheat. Name two classes of common wheat. How many rows of 

 spikelets on an average wheat head? Which yields the more kernels when planted, a kernel of corn or j 

 a kernel of wheat ? 



References. Waters, H. J. Essentials of Agriculture, pp. 158-160. Ginn and Company. Carleton, 

 M. A. The Small Grains, pp. 27-87. The Macmillan Company. Hunt, T. F. The Cereals in America, pp. 47- 

 55. Orange Judd Company. Ten Eyck, A. M. Wheat, p. 21. Campbell Soil Culture Publishing Company. 

 Dondlinger, P. T. The Book of Wheat, p. n. Orange Judd Company. 



r 841 



Fig. 51. Heads of some of the principal types of wheat 



Top row (from left to right) : common (karkov), marquis, polish, speltz, 



emmer (spring) ; lower row (from left to right) : poulard, einkorn, 



durum, club 



