448 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



auothcr. In many portions of the southern States it is impossible to raise good 

 potatoes Avithout procuring seed from farther north, where they grow in greater 

 perfection. In Central, and even in Southern Michigan, we all know that 

 Dent corn is inclined to become earlier, with shorter kernels which become 

 round at the outer end. To keep the corn near what it is, we must use especial 

 €are in selecting the seed or get seed occasionally from farmers south of us. 

 In a climate and soil well adapted to a plant, it will thrive for a long time in 

 •one place, but I believe even there the same pains, with some change of seed, 

 will produce better results. By this I mean that two men living twenty miles 

 or more apart may each take great pains with his corn, wheat, etc. After a 

 few years I think each man would be benefited by procuring seed of the other. 

 I know that there are many cases which may seem in opposition to this idea, but 

 I have seen so many cases of improvement in yield by a change of seed that 

 I consider this subject of some importance. I quote the same idea from F. W. 

 Burbidge, a recent English horticulturist of some prominence. He says "Cer- 

 eal crops deserve more attention than they have hitherto received; and careful 

 selection and judicious change of soil every two or three years would do much 

 to improve these and other farm crops. One of the most universal and potent 

 of these is cultivation and change of seed, whicli means a change of soil.*' 



WILD PLANTS LIKE A CHANGE. 



Plants which are indigenous to a certain region often — I may say generally 

 — thrive much better when they are introduced into a foreign country. This is 

 the case with many of our worst weeds. Some of them are much more thrifty, 

 prolific and troublesome in our country than they are in their native country. 

 The same is true in many parts of Europe and South America. To aid in 

 securing this cliange of location, many plants are supplied with a wonderful 

 variety of contrivances. This is familiar to all. The burdock has hooks to hold 

 to hair or wool ; the thistle seed (fruit) is floated in the air by a growth of down 

 which acts as a miniature balloon ; the seeds of pines have wings. Some float 

 in the water. The pods of peas burst elastically and scatter the seeds. The 

 fruit of the witch hazel shoots its seeds with considerable force. Birds and 

 beasts eat seeds and fruits and distribute them for long distances. Nuts arc 

 buried by squirrels. Even insects and fishes contribute something to this 

 work. Man exceeds them all in scattering far and wide, the good and the bad 

 seeds. From these shall we not take a hint to remove seeds to new ground or 

 new places? If wild plants like a change, why not those which are well culti- 

 vated 't 



LARGE SEEDS NOT ALWAYS THE BEST. 



In selecting seeds something else must be taken into account besides large 



• size, though when everything else is favorable, large seeds are probably the 



best. I could make numerous quotations to show this in case of beans, peas 



and other plants. With corn and wheat, I should prefer a medium-sized ker- 



.nel from a large, fine ear, to a large kernel from a small, short ear. 



GOOD CULTIVATION IMPROVES. 



»Oue of the best illustrationi in point is from Frederick F. llallett, of Eng- 

 land, and was reported in the Journal of the Koyal Agricultural Society, 18G1, 

 page 371. He began by selecting the best spike of wheat he could find, pay- 

 ing especial attention to the quality. 



