THE WHEAT CULTURIST. 257 



in a few years. On the contrary, if the seed be selected 

 every season with the same care that the originator of 

 the Weeks wheat observed for a decade of years, gen- 

 erations unborn would cultivate the same varieties that 

 our fields now produce, without the least deterioration 

 in either yield or quality of grain. 



Further Testimony on Degeneracy. 



I herewith copy the following suggestions from the 

 " Independent :" " If there were an inherent tendency in 

 wheat to degenerate — as many people affirm there is — 

 how is it that no signs of degeneracy are manifest, so 

 long as a well-established variety is cultivated well, from 

 year to year, and kept by itself? ISTo farmer was ever 

 heard to complain that his ' wheat appears to be run- 

 ning out,' until after there has been great neglect in sav- 

 ing the seed. 



" Clean, pure, and well-ripened seed is sowed on the 

 best soil for many seasons, after which, many farmers 

 become indifferent about their seed, often sowing that 

 kind of grain which is nothing more nor less than a 

 hybrid. Mediterranean wheat — which is usually a red 

 variety — and the various kinds of white wheat, are 

 often thrashed together. The good, the poor, the well- 

 matured, and half-ripe and shrunken kernels, all go into 

 one bin ; and such grain is used for seed. Now, as 

 wheat will sport and hybridize when growing Mn close 

 proximity, how can we expect, with any degree of con- 

 fidence, that good grain will be produced by very infe- 

 rior seed ? 



" In producing new varieties of strawberries and Irish 

 potatoes, a certain kind is often cultivated for several 



