WHEAT. 



37 



Ear and Plant of One-seeded Wheat. 



ONE-SEEDED WHEAT, or St Peter's corn, Tri- 

 ticum motiococcum. This is another variety ; the 

 stem and leaves of which are among the most dimi- 

 nutive of the species, and the spike contains only a 

 single row of grains. This kind is chiefly used in 

 the mountainous parts of Switzerland, and containing 

 less of gluten than common sorts, it answers better 

 for being boiled into gruel, than for being baked into 

 bread. The four-sided form of the ripe ear is so ex- 

 tremely regular, that it has the appearance of being 

 carved in ivory. The straw, which is both hard and 

 firm, is excellent for thatching. 



The well known method of propagating wheat is 

 by sowing the grain in land previously prepared for 

 VOL. xv. 4 



