36 



SOUTHERN FIELD CBOPS 



The shape of the spike differs in certain species and va- 

 rieties of wheat and may be (1) tapering, or (2) nearly 

 uniform in size, or (3) club-shaped (that is, decidedly 



largest at the extreme 

 upper end) (Fig. 17). The 

 shape of the spike or head 

 depends largely on the size 

 to which the spikelets in 

 different parts of the spike 

 develop. 



Comprising each spikelet 

 are usually three or more 

 flowers (Fig. 14). From 

 them, when all conditions 

 are favorable, may develop 

 three grains. More fre- 

 quently, only two flowers 

 develop, and the spikelet 

 yields only two grains, 

 sometimes only one. A 

 crop with " three grains 

 to the mesh," as some 

 farmers express it, should 

 make a large yield. 



In some varieties, beards 

 project from the tips of 

 certain of the chaff-hke 

 parts which inclose the seed. 

 It has not been proved 

 that bearded varieties^ of 

 wheat are any hardier or 



Fig. 14. — A Head, Spikelet, and 

 Grain of Bearded Wheat. 



