136 AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 



have been introduced into this country, and proved to be 

 valuable acquisitions j while others have been found decided- 

 ly inferior to many of the long adopted varieties. Experi- 

 ment alone will enable the farmer to decide as to their value 

 for his own grounds, however high they may stand else- 

 where. When of a fine quality, and found to produce well 

 on any given soils, their place should not be usurped by 

 others, till repeated trials have shown their superiority, either 

 in yield or'character. But when the acclimated grain is infe- 

 rior, other seed from remote distances, even if no better in 

 quality, may properly be substituted for it, as a decided 

 benefit has been found to follow a change. 



Wheat and nearly all seeds are found to be more produc- 

 tive, when taken from a soil inferior to the one intended for 

 sowing ; and it is claimed that such as have been produced, 

 either in a warmer or colder climate, will mature earlier. It 

 is not essential that the fullest, heaviest grain be sown. 

 Sprengel affirms, that seed somewhat shrunken, is more cer- 

 tain to give a good yield than the choicest seed ; and numer- 

 ous trials would seem to favor this conclusion. The grain 

 designed for seed should be well ripened before harvesting. 

 From the ever-varying character of the different kinds of 

 seed, their superiority at one time and on one locality, and 

 their inferiority at other times and in other situations, it 

 seems almost superfluous to give a particular enumeration 

 of the present most popular kinds. A brief mention of such 

 only, as stand high in public favor in this country, with 

 some of their most striking peculiarities, is all that our limits 

 will admit. 



The Improved Flint is extensively cultivated in the fine 

 wheat-growing country of western New York, where it 

 was introduced in 1822. It is hardy, and withstands the 

 winters remarkably well. A striking improvement in the 

 strength of its straw has been observed, which at first in- 

 clined to lodge, but it is now erect and firm till fully ripened. 

 The heads are also fuller and longer than when first intro- 

 duced ; the berry is plump and white, yielding a large pro- 

 portion of choice flour ; and it is retained in the head with 

 greater tenacity, which is a decided advantage in harvest- 

 ing, where threshing machines are substituted for the flail. 



The Old Genesee Red Chaff is a bald, white wheat, first 

 cultivated in the same region, in 1798 ; and for a long time it 

 was the decided favorite. Since 1820, however, it has been 

 very subject to rust and blast ; but when circumstances are 



