A STUDY OF WHEAT. 



of wheat. These small grains are one seven-thousandth of an 

 inch in diameter, and frequently have a nucleus. There is no 

 cross when viewed with polarized light. 



Rye is probably a native of Southeastern Europe and South- 

 western Asia. It has been cultivated for ages and is still 

 grown in the most of temperate climes. Rye is frequently used 

 as an adulteration of many of the commercial spices. Roasted 

 rye is frequently found mixed with coffee, and has been reported 

 as one of the ingredients found in wheat flour. Rye is obtained 

 from Secale cereale and the kernels resemble wheat only smaller. 

 The cells of the fruit coats are smaller, more delicate and more 

 finely beaded than wheat. 



There are two kinds of starch grains, large and small, found 

 in rye. The large grains are quite irregular in their size, some 



Fig. 2. Rye Starch. X 475. (Drawn with the camera luctda.) . 



being as small as barley, while many are several times larger 

 than the largest grains of wheat. They are lenticular with a 

 great difference between the two diameters, so when the grains 

 are seen on the edge they are quite slender. The very large 

 grains are flake-like, more transparent, devoid of rings, and 

 frequently have several lines radiating from the central nucleus. 

 Rings are seen in the smaller ones of the large grains, which 



