748 TRACTICE OF AGRICULTURE. Part III. 



4608. Marshal (Yorkshire) mentions a case in which a man of accurate observation, having, in a piece 

 of wheat perceived a plant of uncommon strength and luxuriance, diffusing its branches on every side, 

 and setting its closely-surrounding neighbors at defiance, marked it ; and at harvest removed it sepa- 

 rately. The produce was 15 ears, yielding 604 grains of a strong-bodied liver-colored wheat, differing, in 

 general appearance, from every other variety he had seen. The chaff was smooth, without awns, and of 

 the color of the grain ; the straws stout and reedy. These 604 grains were planted singly, nine inches 

 asunder, filling about 40 square yards of ground, on a clover stubbie, the remainder of the ground being 

 sown with wheat in the ordinary way ; by which means extraordinary trouble and destruction by birds 

 were avoided. The produce was two gallons and a half weighing SO^lbs. of prime grain for seed, besides 

 some pounds for seconds. One grain produced 35 ears, yielding 1235 grains ; so that the second year's pro- 

 duce was sufficient to plant an acre of ground. What deters farmers from improvements of this nature is 

 probably the mischievousness of birds ; from which at harvest it is scarcely possible to preserve a small 

 patch of corn especially in a garden or other ground situated near a habitation ; but by carrying on the 

 improvement in a field of corn of the same nature, that inconvenience is got rid of. In this situation, 

 however, the botanist will be apprehensive of danger from the floral farina of the surrounding crop. 

 But from what observations Marshal has made he is of opinion his fears will be groundless. No evil of 

 this kind occurred, though the cultivation of the above variety was carried on among white wheat. 



4609, But the most systematic mode of procuring new varieties, is by crossing two sorts, 

 as in breeding : that is, by impregnating the female organs of the blossoms of one ear 

 with the fecundating matter or pollen of the male organs of the blossom of another 

 variety of a different quality. Thus, supposing a farmer wished to render a very good 

 variety which he was in the habit of cultivating somewhat earlier. Let him procure in 

 the blossoming season, from a very early soil, some spikes of an early sort just coming 

 into blossom, and let him put the ends of these in water and set them in the shade so 

 as to retard their fully blossoming till the plants he has destined to become the females 

 come into flower. Then let him cut out all the male organs of the latter before they have 

 advanced so far as to impregnate the stigma ; and having done this, let him dust the 

 stigma with the blossoming ears of the early or male parent. The impregnated stalks 

 must then be kept apart from other wheats so as the progeny may be true. When the 

 grains ripen, sow the best, and from the produce when ripe, select the earliest and finest 

 spikes for seed. Sow them and repeat the choice till a bushel or two of seed is pro- 

 cured. This operation has been successfully performed by T. A. Knight (1600.), and 

 though it may be reckoned loo delicate for farmers in general, it will be looked on by 

 the philosophical agriculturist as not improbably leading to as important results as has 

 attended the practice in the case of garden fruits and flowers. 



4610. The propagation of wheat by transplanting may be employed to expedite the progress of cultivat- 

 ing a new variety of ascertained excelWnce. To shew what may be gained in time by this mode, we shall 

 quote from The Philosophical Transactions an account of an experiment made by C. Miller, son of the 

 celebrated gardener of that name, in 1766. On the 2nd of June, Miller sowed some grains of the common 

 ted wheat J and on the 8th of August, a single plant was taken up and separated into 18 parts, and each 

 part planted separately. These plants having pushed out several side shoots, by about the middle of 

 September, some of them were then taken up and divided, and the rest of them between that time and 

 the middle of October. This second division produced 67 plants. These plants remained through the 

 winter, and another division of them, made about the middle of March and the 12th of April, produced 

 500 plants. They were then divided no further, but permitted to remain. The plants were, in general, 

 stronger than any of the wheat in the fields. Some of them produced upwards of 100 ears from a single root. 

 Many of the ears measured seven inches in length and contained between 60 and 70 grains. The whole 

 number of ears which, by the process above-mentioned, were produced from one grain of wheat, was 

 21,109, which yielded three pecks and three quarters of clean corn, the weight of which was 47 lbs. 

 7 ounces ; and from a calculation made by counting the number of grains in an ounce, the whole number 

 of grains was about 386,840. By this account we find, that there was only one general division of the 

 plants made in the spring. Had a second been made. Miller thinks the number of plants would have 

 amounted to 2000 instead of 500, and the produce thereby been much enlarged. 



4611. In making a choice from all the species and vaiieties which we have named, the 

 thin-skinned white wheats are preferred by all the best British farmers whose soil and 

 climate are suitable for this grain, and for sowing in autumn. In late situations, and 

 less favorable soils and climates, the red varieties are generally made choice of; and 

 these are also generally preferred for sowing in spring. Red wheats, however, are con 

 sidered as at least fifteen per cent, less valuable than the white varieties. No sub-variety 

 ever continues very long in vogue ; nor is it fitting that it should, as degeneracy soon 

 takes place, and another and better is sought for as a successor. Hence the on'y re- 

 Commendation we can give as to the choice of subvarieties, is to select the best from 

 among those in use by the best farmers in the given situation, or nearest well-cultivated 

 district. 



4612. The soils best adapted for the culture of wheat, are rich clays and heavy loams ; 

 but these are not by any means the only description of soils on which it is cultivated. 

 Before the iritroduction of turnips and clover, all soils but little cohesive were thought 

 quite unfit for wheat ; but even on sandy soils, it is now grown extensively, and with 

 much advantage after either of these crops. The greater part of the wheat crop 

 throughout Britain, however, is probably still sown upon fallowed land. When it 

 succeeds turnips consumed on the ground, or clover cut for hay or soiling, it is com- 

 monly sown after one ploughing ; but upon heavier soils, or after grass of two or morei 

 years, the land is ploughed twice or three times, or receives what is called a rag fallow. 

 (Supp. Encyc. Brit. art. Agr.) 



46 1 3. On rich clays, wheat may be cultivated almost every second year, prbvided due care 



