WHEAT 



37 



any more productive in the South than beardless varieties 

 (which are also known as " smooth " or " bald " wheats) 

 (Fig. 15). On farms where it is some- 

 times desirable to utilize at least a part 

 of the wheat crop for hay, beardless 

 varieties are decidedly preferable, and 

 also probably just as good when the 

 sole aim is the production of grain. 



40. The grain. When wheat is 

 threshed, the grain is freed from the 

 chaff that has enfolded it. The same 

 is true of rye. On the other hand, 

 the hull of oats continues to enfold 

 the grain after threshing, and in barley 

 the hull grows fast to the grain. 



A single grain of wheat is usually 

 about a quarter of an inch long. A 

 deep furrow or crease extends nearly 

 the length of the grain on the side 

 opposite the germ or embryo. The 

 greater depth of this furrow, together 

 with the shorter, plumper grain (Fig. 

 16), readily distinguish a wheat kernel 

 from a grain of rye. 



In color wheat grains vary from a p IG 15. A TYPICAL 



light, almost creamy yellow (called HEAD OF BEARDLESS 



white) through an amber tint to dark 

 red. Red and amber-colored wheats are more com- 

 monly grown in the South than those of the lighter 

 shades, and probably the former are hardier under South- 

 ern conditions. 



