THE WHEAT CULTUEIST. 283 



whole of it should be run through a good fanning-mill, 

 having sieves and screens with meshes of suitable size to 

 separate the large kernels from the small ones, as the 

 latter will yield quite as good flour, although such grain 

 is not so good for seed. 



In every plant of wheat, barley, or oats, there is 

 always one best ear, and in every ear there is always one 

 best grain, which is that one found at the following 

 harvest to produce the best plant, all the grains having 

 been planted in competition with each other. 



The best of all the competing plants of any " family" 

 of a cereal is ascertained by the most studious comparison 

 of the good qualities they visibly present, and of the 

 notes of the peculiarities exhibited by each during the 

 whole course of its growth, such as the rapidity with 

 which the parent seed germinates ; the manner, time, 

 and extent of the "tillering" of the plant; the periods 

 of its earing, blooming, and ripening ; its power of with- 

 standing disease, frost, wet ; the toughness of its straw, 

 and any other characteristics which are essential to form- 

 ing a correct decision, and which, cannot be determined, 

 except by a careful observation of the plant during its 

 entire growth, until the grain is fully matured. 



We very frequently discover a head of wheat, a few 

 panicles of oats, a few pods of peas, and such-like, which 

 have come to maturity, while the great bulk of the crop 

 remains quite green. Now, could this seed be carefully 

 preserved and planted by itself, we should perceive a 

 decided improvement in the next crop, not only in the 

 time of maturing, but in the superior quality of the grain 

 or vegetables which sprang from the seed. Were 

 farmers of our country to practise saving their seed 

 grain, the wealth of the nation might be doubled. 



