318 THE WHEAT CULTUKI8T. 



FATAL EXPERIMENT WITH SEED WHEAT. 



Farmers should remember that the germs of wheat 

 are organs of exceedingly delicate structure. * They are 

 really things of life little things, and of course, they 

 have but a small amount of vitality. For this reason, 

 it is exceedingly hazardous to tamper with the grain. 

 Let it be always kept distinctly in mind, that it does 

 not take much to destroy the germs of the grain. Young 

 farmers and sometimes old ones who ought to know 

 better have a great desire to try an experiment with 

 their seed grain. J. L. Rice, a farmer of Jefferson Coun- 

 ty, New York, communicated the following suggestions, 

 which will save many a young farmer from falling into 

 a similar experiment. He writes thus to the " Cultiva- 

 tor and Country Gentleman " : 



" It is quite common nowadays to try experiments. 

 Some give ' quite satisfactory ' results ; with others there 

 is nothing perceptible, either good or bad ; while a third 

 class often prove very disastrous. The one I am about 

 to give, is of the latter class, and I give it, not because 

 I like to say much about having done a very foolish 

 thing, neither would I recommend it to others but as 

 a warning to those inclined to try experiments ; and, 

 where there is an even chance for a failure, to do it cau- 

 tiously and on a small scale. 



" In the fall of 1857, 1 had a piece of ground of about 

 four acres, upon which I thought I would risk a crop 

 of wheat. The land was in fine order, it having been 

 well manured previous to the crop of barley, just taken 

 from it and to make it still better, it had another good 

 dressing after it was ploughed for the wheat. I could 

 see no reason, if the winter was favorable, why I should 



