306 



Elementary Principles of Agriculture 



Fig. 195. Blooming of wheat flower. A to F opening and closing of flower G, 

 pistil, and K, pistil and anthers in positions at stage shown in A ; H pistil at 

 flowering stage; /, shortly after flowering; J, portion of stigma showing germi- 

 nating pollen grain; L, a single flower just after flowering; M, section of same. 

 After Hays. 



440. Pollination in Grains. In wheat, oats, barley, 

 and most other grasses, the stamens and pistil are 

 produced in the same flower. It has been found, that the 

 anthers shed their pollen and the stigmas become moist 

 before the flower opens and are thus normally close 

 fertilized. (1f 169). Prof. Hays found that wheat 

 flowers open and close in the early morning hours, the 

 operation consuming only 20 to 40 minutes. Study Fig. 

 195. In corn, the tassel produces the pollen bearing flow- 

 ers. The silks usually appear before the pollen is shed 

 from the tassel above. As a result corn is normally cross 

 fertilized by pollen blown from nearby stalks. (See 

 If 173). 



441. In Germination and in the formation of the roots, 

 cereals show a peculiarity that is important to know when 

 their seeds are to be planted. The first stages of germina- 

 tion are as shown in Figs. 9 and 10. The shoot end grows 

 up and forms a second whorl of coronal roots that are 

 permanent, the seedling roots eventually dying. (Fig. 

 196). The length of the first internode varies, according to 



