THE WHEAT CULTURIST. 87 



his wheat; for under the unfavorable circumstances of 

 our first trial the best head was 5f- inches long, and in 

 the second one 6 inches long." — Cultivator. 



I cannot forbear to allude to the disappointment 

 which scores of farmers have experienced after having 

 purchased improved varieties of wheat, at fabulous 

 prices, of those farmers who had made their ground as 

 rich as it could consistently be rendered by rich manure. 

 In this manner, by careful selection and judicious culti- 

 vation, they have accomplished wonders in respect to 

 •large and long heads and plump and a large number of 

 kernels. On the contrary, slack farmers, who never 

 half-cultivate their land, have sowed such choice grain, 

 and produced wonders in the line of small ears and 

 diminutive kernels. 



Every farmer who has any idea of growing wheat 

 should experiment, in a small way, with the seed in his 

 garden, where the soil is very rich. I can record nothing 

 that will be so effectual ' in accomplishing just what 

 should be done, and what wheat really requires, as a few 

 well-conducted experiments for improving the excel- 

 lence of the seed. 



