138 BRITISH HUSBANDRY. [Ch. X. 



Chapter X. 



ON WHEAT. 



Of all those kinds of grain wliich are cultivated in this country for bread- 

 corn, wheat takes the first rank, and almost numberless varieties are grown 

 under denominations given to the numerous species in consequence of some 

 existing shade of difference in their qualities, or from local circumstances, 

 arising either from the place of their growth, or the name of the grower. 

 Thus we have the " bearded" and the " downless," the " golden-ear," the 

 " velvet-ear," the " egg-shell," and " hedge-wheat ;" the "Essex-dun," 

 the " Kentish-yellow," the " white and red Essex," and the " Mungoswells ;" 

 the " Burwell-red," " Hunter's,"' and the" Georgian" wheats: the history 

 of which, and of the numerous other sorts which have been introduced into 

 cultivation, if abstracted from the accounts which have been published ot 

 their properties, woukl form a moderate volume. 



Some of an apparently peculiar nature have also been introduced from 

 foreign countries; as the " Egyptian," the " Polish," the " Siberian," the 

 " Zealand," and the " Talavera wheat," and additions are being constantly 

 made to the stock from various parts of the world ; but, although differing 

 in the proportions which they contain of nutritive matter, as well as 

 in some particulars connected with their growth, yet they have all 

 sprung from one origin, and being composed of similar elements they are 

 applied to the same purpose. Botanists, indeed, class some of them as 

 distinct species: thus, for instance, the Egyptian wheat produces several 

 ears from the same stem, which is not the case with any other sort ; but, wlien 

 repeatedly sown upon poor land, its supernumerary ears become gradually 

 diminished, and it at length loses all appearance of variety. In like 

 manner, other kinds of wheat, produced in soils and climates more favour- 

 able to vegetation than our own, have flourished when first grown in this 

 country, and have appeared to become habituated to our atmosphere, yet 

 in a series of years have degenerated ; while other sorts, imported from 

 a more northern climate, or taken from land of an inferior quality, have, on 

 the contrary, been improved. 



The same circumstance occurs with respect to those species generally 

 distinguished as Winter and Spring wheat; for although they seem, from 

 their time of growth, to be of a difl'erent nature, yet one can be at j)leasure 

 transformed into the other by the common means of culture. Thus, if 

 winter-wheat be sown in the month of February, or the beginning of 

 March, a portion of it will ripen, though the lateral shoots will be weak, 

 and the crop will only be moderate. If, however, the seed thus produced 

 be sown the next spring, it will throw out stronger stems, will tiller with 

 more luxuriance, and, if the operation be repeated in the following year, it 

 will then be found converted into the nature of summer-wheat. If, on the 

 contrary, spring-wheat be sown in the month of October, and the next 

 winter prove severe, the crop will perish ; or can only be saved if it be 

 completely covered by a heavy fall of snow. Should the weather continue 

 mild, the seed will then, however, produce a tolerable crop, which will ripen 

 earlier than autumn-wheat; the seed obtained from it will in the following 

 year take longer to ripen than that of the former season ; it will also tiller 

 better, and partake so much more of the nature of the winter species, that, 

 if sown in the month of May, it will not produce a crop. Thus, also, how- 



