CROP CHEMISTRY 



115 



III. CROP CHEMISTRY 



99. Seed Crops. — As a class the seeds of the seed crops 

 are relatively low in water, about 10 per cent. During the 

 process of seed formation the soluble sugars are transported 

 to the seed where dehydration takes place in the deposition 

 of starch. This extra water is eliminated during the drying 

 or curing of seeds. The same change of hydrolyzed com- 

 pounds to dehydrated compounds takes place in the case 

 of proteins (Section 34). The leaves and stems of seed 

 crops are also low in water inasmuch as they have dried out 

 and are practically dead before they are harvested. The 

 seeds are low in ash, much lower than any other part of the 

 plant. Considered from the standpoint of plant economy 

 the seeds need very little of the mineral elements. Food 

 for the seedling is ready made in the seed, only needing 



