THE WHEAT CULTUKIST. 279 



but have met with none. P shall attempt to give a phi- 

 losophical, and I trust, a satisfactory answer. Farmers 

 do know one thing, concerning which there is no guess- 

 work—no uncertainty— which is, that all the seed sown 

 does not grow. Therefore, what becomes of it, is an 

 important inquiry. 



A portion of seed wheat never germinates ; because 

 the germ of some of the kernels has been injured, and 

 thus deprived of all vitality. Kernels of wheat are in- 

 jured, sometimes when the grain is thrashed ; and in 

 numerous instances, the kernels sprout before the grain 

 is garnered. The tender sprouts perish in the sunshine, 

 when the wheat is dried ; but the kernels appear changed 

 little, if any. Yet, the germs are destroyed. Of course, 

 if such grain be employed for seed, it never comes up.' 

 Much of the good seed also never comes up, for the fol- 

 lowing reasons: In some instances, the grain is buried 

 so deep, that the substance of the kernels which pro- 

 duces the stem, is all exhausted, before reaching the sur- 

 face of the ground. Of course,, all such kernels will 

 never come up. Some other kernels are deposited in 

 an unfavorable place, surrounded with lumps and stones, 

 where they sprout, but fail to grow. Birds pick up a 

 share before the grain is buried in the seed-bed. In- 

 sects take a share ; and where several kernels happen 

 to be planted so closely together that all cannot grow, 

 for want of space, a portion of the young plants must 

 cease to grow, and at length fail and die. The young 

 leaves of wheat, soon after they appear above ground^ 

 are very tender and good for birds of various kinds' 

 which often bite off large numbers of the stems, close 

 to the surface of the ground. Such plants seldom re- 

 cover from the injury thus received. .In numerous 



