WHEAT. 



" Some botanists have divided wheats 

 into different species, from some 

 marked peculiarity in their formation. 

 Others, considering that tliey mostly 

 form hybrids when mixed in the sow- 

 inof, and that their peculiarities vary 

 With the soil and climate, have look- 

 ed upon all the cultivated wheats as 

 mere varieties. There are, however, 

 three principal varieties, so different 

 in appearance that they claim pecu- 

 liar attention. Tliese are the hard or 

 flint wheats, the soft wheats, and the 

 Polish wheats. The hard wheats are 

 the produce of warm climates, such 

 as Italy, Sicily, and Barbary. The 

 soft wheats grow in the northern 

 parts of Europe. The Polish wheats 

 grow in the country from which they 

 derive their name, and are also hard 

 wheats. It is from their external 



form that they are distinguished from 

 other wheats. The hard wheals have 

 a compact seed nearly transparent, 

 which, when bitten through, breaks 

 short, and shows a very white flour 

 within. The soft wheats have an 

 opaque coat or skin, and which, when 

 first reaped, give way readily to the 

 pressure of the finger and thumb. 

 These wheats require to be well dried 

 and hardened before they can be 

 conveniently ground into flour. The 

 Polish wheat has a chafT which is 

 much longer than the seed, a large, 

 oblong, hard seed, and an ear cylin- 

 drical in appearance. It is a delicate 

 spring wheat, and not very produc- 

 tive ; hence it has only been occa- 

 sionally cultivated by way of exper- 

 iment. 



" The following cuts represent 



, EapUan wheat {TrMcum Ee:,p„acum); 2. Spelter wheat ( TWrirwrn v"W); 3. ^f -^-^l^f) X^l'^lill'l^liJl^'f''" ''*^ 

 icum ) ; .1. Sinsled gnuned wheat ( TrUicum monocoaum ) ; 5. Commoo bearded wheat ( TruKum turpdum). 



851 



