THE WHEAT CROP. 13 



gradually fall off when fully ripe ; grain round, and reddish 

 in colour ; sample fair ; yield large. 



Spaldings. Straw long and stout; hardy, and very pro- 

 lific ; grain large, oblong in shape ; good average quality. 



Velvet, or Woolly -eared Bearded. Ear long, dark 

 red colour ; grain large, flinty, and coarse ; chaff hard and 

 close ; difficult to thrash, unless in good condition ; early, 

 hardy, and prolific. 



The species Triticum sativum was formerly called T. 

 vulgare, and was frequently divided into two classes 

 the winter, T. hibernum, and the summer, T. cestivum. 

 This classification is no longer recognized, as it is now well 

 known that wheat, by being constantly sown in the spring, 

 quite changes its habits as to its time of ripening. The 

 produce of wheat sown in the spring acquires the habit of 

 perfecting its growth quicker than the produce of the same 

 wheat sown in the autumn. Hence, the farmer when he 

 sows wheat in spring should be particular to obtain seed, 

 the produce of spring-sown grain, and not the produce of 

 that sown in the autumn. The same change takes place in 

 all the cereals, and in other crops which we cultivate. 

 The difference also in colour between the red and white 

 varieties is probably due mainly to the nature and char- 

 acter of the soil in which they are grown. Fine white 

 wheats gradually become darker and coarser, and ulti- 

 mately change their colour altogether when grown con- 

 tinuously on cold ungenial soils while the coarser red 

 wheats grown, year after year, on rich warm soils, in a 

 good climate, generally lose their characteristics, become 

 of a lighter red colour, then yellowish, and finally, assume 

 the external appearance of a strong white variety. It has 

 been remarked that the grain in this respect is affected 

 differently to the straw, in changing its colour and char- 

 acter more quickly than that does. Hence we have many 

 varieties of red wheats with white chaff and straw, and 



