GRAIN CROPS 41 



large, shrunken and plump grains. It is important to 

 know which we should plant. 



Test of Good Seed. — Good seed of any kind of grain 

 must have at least three qualities: 



(1) It must be pure, that is, free from weed and other 

 grain seed. 



(2) It must be well matured, plump and heavy. 



(3) It must germinate well so as to produce strong 

 plants. 



You will notice by examining a small sample of grain 

 (place a small sample on a piece of white paper) that there 

 is a great difference in the size, character and shape of the 

 kernels. (Separate the sample into good and poor lots.) 

 Would you care to plant the poor seed? You might be 

 interested to plant ten of the very best, large, heavy seeds 

 and ten of the poorest, small, light seeds in a box of pure 

 sand. Moisten the sand and keep the box in a warm room. 

 See which seeds produce the larger, stronger plants. 



Parts of a Seed. — A seed is made up of three parts: 



(1) A small plantlet or germ, the embryo, inside oi 

 each kernel which will, when the seed is placed under 

 favorable conditions as to heat, air and moisture, grow 

 and produce a plant; 



(2) The food material stored about the embryo, to feed 

 it until it has developed a root system so as to be able to 

 get food from the soil; and 



(3) The seed coat on the outside for protection. 

 It is evident that a large, plump kernel or seed will have 



a stronger, larger germ than will a small or shrunken seed, 

 and will also have more food for the little plantlet, so the 

 plantlet will get a better start before it must obtain its food 

 from the soil. 



Select Seed from Best Plants. — Another reason for 

 selecting the large, plump seeds is because it is reasonable 

 to expect that they grew on good, strong, healthy plants. 

 There are a great many unfavorable conditions with which 

 plants have to contend, such as diseases like smut, rust 

 and blight; unfavorable weather conditions, as cold or wet 

 or drought or heat; also poor soil conditions. It is evident 

 that some plants are better able to withstand such conditions 



