174 FIELD CROPS 



5. Secure two small samples of wheat. Sprinkle one with water, 

 just as you would do if treating for stinking smut as suggested in this 

 chapter. After treating the sample, allow it to stand for from ten to 

 fifteen hours. Then plant several kernels from both the treated and 

 untreated samples in a box of sand. Slightly moisten the sand as you 

 ordinarily would if you wished the wheat to germinate; keep the box in 

 a suitable place for wheat to germinate. Note the difference in germi- 

 nation between the treated and untreated seed. 



6. Get a sample of wheat affected with stinking smut. Learn 

 to quickly identify the smut balls. Does the sample show indications 

 of being smutted either by looks or by smell? 



7. Go into a field at harvest time or early in the fall; dig up some 

 wheat stubble, also some stubble from a timothy and clover meadow. 

 Compare the amount and character of the roots of the three kinds of 

 plants. Which crop will leave the most vegetable matter in the soil? 



8. Some time between January 1st and planting time, secure 

 samples of wheat from a number of farms. Plant 100 kernels from each 

 sample in plate germinators. Compare the strength and percentage 

 of germination. 



SUPPLEMENTARY READING 



Bailey's Cyclopedia of American Agriculture, Vol. II, pp. 660-670. 

 Burkett's Farm Crops, pp. 253-268. 

 Dondlinger's The Book of Wheat. 

 Hunt's Cereals in America, pp. 26-137. 

 Farmers' Bulletins: 



139. Emmer: A Grain for Semiarid Regions. 



210. Varieties, Quality and Culture of Wheat. 



219. Lessons From the Grain Rust Epidemic of 1904. 



237. Running Out of Seed Wheat. 



250. The Prevention of Stinking Smut in Wheat and Loose Smut 

 in Oats. 



262. Glutinous and Starchy Wheats. 



273. Pasturing Wheat. 



320. Quality in Wheat. 



388. Rolling vs. Harrowing Winter Wheat. 



389. Bread and Bread Making. 

 466. Winter Emmer. 



