32 THE SMALL GRAINS 



cent fruit called a caryopsis, such as previously described 

 (9). In thrashing, the kernel is freed from the chaffy 

 portions (except in emmer, spelt, and einkorn). There is 

 great variation in the size and shape of the kernel, but 

 there is always a deep crease extending nearly its entire 

 length, on the side opposite the embryo. The wheat 

 kernel differs from the rye kernel, in being shorter 

 (usually), and plumper, and having a deeper crease. The 

 kernel varies in color from a yellowish white, through 

 amber, to dark red. In a few cases it is violet. There 

 are degrees of hardness, usually known as soft, semi-hard, 

 and hard. As a rule, the total nitrogen and protein con- 

 tent increases in proportion to hardness. 



37. The origin of wheat. There has been consider- 

 able discussion of the origin of wheat, but about the only 

 common conclusion reached from it all is that this cereal, 

 at the dawn of history, was indigenous in Western Asia. 

 De Candolle (1892, pp. 358-359) says : " The area may 

 have extended toward Syria, as the climate is very simi- 

 lar, but to the east and west of Western Asia, wheat has 

 probably never existed but as a cultivated plant, anterior, 

 it is true, to all known civilization." 



Some of the most ancient names for wheat are Sanskrit 

 sumana and godhuma, Chinese max, Hebrew chittah, and 

 Egyptian br. These names, so very different, and yet so 

 old, indicate a great antiquity in wheat cultivation. 



Artificial crossing having been effected between culti- 

 vated wheat and ^Egilops ovata, some writers have con- 

 sidered this species to be the ancestor of wheat. A partic- 

 ular difficulty of this subject results from the considerable 

 diversity in the subspecies of wheat, making it quite 

 possible that some of them have originated from separate 

 ancestors. 



