280 THE WHEAT CULTTJRIST. 



instances, a thousand crows, or pigeons, descend on a 

 field of wheat, and destroy one fourth part of the young 

 plants. Domestic fowls are frequently allowed to range 

 over wheat fields, when they destroy plants sufficient to 

 make bushels of grain. I might mention other maraud- 

 ers that commit depredations on the growing wheat. 

 But these must suffice. 



How to Raise Early Grain or Vegetables. 



On the subject of raising plants that mature early, a 

 practical farmer wrote in the " Independent " as follows : 



In localities where seasons are comparatively short — 

 where late frost is liable to cut down the young plants, 

 and early frost to damage the fruit or grain — it is of 

 great importance that seed for future crops be raised and 

 secured with great care. It will require the exercise of 

 much good care for many successive years to effect any 

 remarkably good change in any crop with reference to 

 its early maturity. But, on the contrary, by exercising 

 no care, it will be easy to manage in such a manner as 

 to have plants mature very late in the season, and at 

 the same time to yield an inferior crop. If we desire 

 to have crops ripen early, we may have the pleasure of 

 seeing; our efforts to secure such a result crowned with 

 good success. But if that is a subject which gives us 

 but little anxiety, our contented desires will be satisfied 

 by seeing our crops come to maturity long after our 

 enterprising neighbors have harvested their fields of 



gram. 



Now, if we desire to raise early grain, or early vege- 

 tables of any kind, we must select the seed that ripens 

 the very first. The first ripe panicles of carrot seed and 



