THE STEMS 71 



production. Moreover, crowding occurs, and the tillering process is often 

 checked after the formation of a comparatively small number of shoots, 

 and plants with two or three stems only are frequent. 





B 



FIG. 66. Young plants. A, Prostrate habit ; B, semi-erect. 



A strongly tillered plant, however, grown in an isolated position from 

 a single grain sown early in good soil, may possess a hundred shoots or 

 more in spring, which may develop ears yielding several thousands of 

 grains at harvest. 



