THE SMALL GRAINS 



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CHAPTER I 

 FORM AND STRUCTURE 



CEREALS belong botanically to the very large family 

 of flowering plants called grasses (Poaceae or Graminese). 

 In this volume is a discussion of all the cereals except maize, 

 proso, and the grain-sorghums, 1 with the addition of buck- 

 wheat, a member of the smartweed family (Polygonacese), 

 but commonly classed with cereals. These are known 

 collectively as the small grains. Wheat, oats, barley, and 

 rye, requiring similar treatment, are handled simultane- 

 ously under a number of heads. Rice and buck- 

 wheat are discussed independently as to all phases. 



1. Roots. There are two sets of roots in cereals. 

 The first or seminal roots, 3 to 8 in number, arise directly 

 from the hypocotyl ; the second or coronal roots, which 

 are permanent, arise from the point just a little below the 

 surface of the ground called the crown. The permanent 

 roots of cereals are wholly fibrous, extending outward and 

 downward in all directions from the crown. There is an 

 entire absence of a tap root such as exists in alfalfa, 

 cotton, and other field crop plants. The most essential 

 character in the roots is the existence of myriads of minute 



1 For maize and sorghum-like plants, see Montgomery, " The 

 Corn Crops." 



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