The wheat plant is grown all over the world, but flourishes mostly
between the parallels of 25 and 60 degrees of latitude. It is more
abundant in the northern than in the southern hemisphere.
The varieties of wheat cultivated in Europe may be divided into those
whose flowers produce awns, and those without these appendages, or
_bearded_ and _beardless_ wheats. The fruits or seeds of these varieties
are red or white, hence a further subdivision takes place into _red_ or
_white_, bearded or beardless, wheats. Amongst the red bearded varieties
is the fingered Egyptian or Mummy Wheat, which presents the peculiarity
of several branches bearing fruits proceeding from its central stalk.
Wheat is also called hard and soft according to its consistence, and
winter and spring as it is sown at those seasons of the year. The red
varieties yield the largest amount of grain, but the white the whitest
flour.
Wheat is preferred to the other cereal grasses as an article of food on
account of its containing a larger quantity of flesh-forming matters.
The flour also may be rendered very white by separating it from the
husks, or bran, and the fruit is much more easily separated from the
chaff than is the case with the other cereals. The proportion of flesh
and force-producing to those of force-producers only, is more nearly
adjusted to the requirements of the system in wheat than in any other
food. Hence, probably, its very general use as an article of food
amongst the populations of the hardest working nations in the world.
In Case 26 is an analysis of the various constituents found in a pound of
wheaten flour.
The chemical analysis of barley, buckwheat, maize, millet, oats, rye, and
rice may be inspected in the respective cases.