46 POPULAR ERRORS. 



for meadow and pasture, and large quantities of 

 the seed were sold to unsuspecting farmers in the 

 eastern part of the "United States at high prices 

 before the fraud was discovered. 



The idea that chess is not a real species, as dis- 

 tinct and permanent as any other grass or grain, 

 but is only a degenerated condition of wheat, is one 

 of those curiosities of belief for which it is hard to 

 account. The fact that chess will grow from its 

 own seed, and reproduce chess, has been proved 

 many times, and can be observed by any boy or 

 girl who has a little patience and an inquiring mind. 

 Almost any sample of winter wheat, and particularly 

 screenings, will furnish specimens of chess for the 

 purpose. Select a given number of grains of chess, 

 which may be distinguished from the grains of 

 shrunken wheat by having hulls upon them, and 

 plant them, one in a place, in regular rows, in moist 

 garden soil. In a few days the fact that chess will 

 germinate will be demonstrated to the satisfaction 

 of any one. Next year, if the plants are allowed to 

 remain, there will be equally good proof that chess 

 will reproduce the fully developed chess plant; or, 

 if it is desired to settle the question at once, let one 

 find a stool of chess in the field, carefully dig it up, 

 cut off the lower roots, shake gently or wash out 

 the dirt, and examine in the center of the roots, at 

 the base of the central stem, for the old kernel 



