THE FARMERS' REGISTER. 



141 



hausted of that particular aliment which is essen- 

 tial to the produciion of wheat in its highest de- 

 gree oi" purity. If they are thus exhausted, then 

 we can no longer expect to derive perlect crops 

 from imperlect seed. As a general rule, like will 

 produce its like ; a robust olfspring is not the pro- 

 duct of diseased parents. It is well known liiai 

 it is only on lands containing limi', in some form, 

 that the grain of wheat can attain its perlect de- 

 velopemeiit. If the proper care had been exer- 

 cised in the selection ot' seed, and the wheat 

 oTown on land adapted to its perlect production, 

 it appears impossible that there couid be any de- | 

 generacy, or that it should be later in reaching ; 

 maturity now than formerly. But our soils, in- 

 stead ol being limed, have been enriched by pu- 

 trescent matter ; and in most instances ihe seed 

 is probably saved Irom the most luxuriant growih, 

 Irom rich lots or highly manured fields. The 

 tendency to run to straw is ihus encouraged and 

 perpetuated instead ol" being corrected. Rusi, 

 and blight, and smut are the ndtural consequences; 

 of this state of plethora; the time of ripening be- 

 comes gradually protracted ; and the farmer 

 wonders why his wheat, that looked so promising 

 in the spring, should be such a total lailure at 

 harvest. 



In thefiret vol. o( the Farmers' Register there 

 is a translation of a highly interesting paper by 

 Prolessor Biono, of the University of Liege, "on 

 the influence fvhich the seed exerts on the quan- 

 tity and quality of the crop produced from it, ac- 

 cording to the different nature of the soil and cli- 

 mate Irom whicii this seed has been procured." 

 From a number of well-established lacts in vege- 

 table physiology, he deduces the following law : 

 " that every thing which lavors the disproportion- 

 ed growth of vegetables, opposes or retards their 

 propagation or loriuation of liuit ; and vice versa, 

 the Ibrmation of fruit is hastened and Ibrvvarded 

 at all times when exterior circumstances prevent 

 the full developement and disproportioned growih 

 ol the stalk." The whole papf^r is of great in- 

 terest to the agriculturist, and I would suggest 

 its republication at a convenient time.* 



This physiological principle furnishes us with 

 the true theory respecting the important subject 

 of a change ol' seed ; and in the absence ol a soil 

 adapted to the wants of the wheat plant, as well 

 as the means of rendering it so, our chief reliance 

 will be found in obtaining seed from proper locali- 

 ties. There is scarcely a larmer who does not 

 change his seed wheat, more or less, every year 

 or two. Intleed, his discouragements have been 

 so great, thai he is continually on the watch for 

 something new, in the hope that he will at last 

 find a kind of wheat that will flourish on his land. 

 Let him proceed upon correct principles, and there 

 can be no doubt that he will derive material be- 

 nefit. Supposing his la ds to be destitute of cal- 

 careous matter, as all our soils are, he should 

 obtain seed from a limestone country. His object 

 is to reduce the quantity ol" straw, which is al- 

 ready too great on our improved lands, and in- 

 crease the quantity of grain. A calcareous soil 

 does not yield a great growth of stalk, and the 

 qualities of the plant are transmitted to its off- 

 spring for two or three generations. That the 



* This request shall be complied with in the next 

 number. — Ed. F. R. 



qualities are thus transmitted is asserted by Pro- 

 lessor Brown, and established by r-epeated experi- 

 ments, both in the culture of wheat and other 

 plants. 



Some years ago I travelled, during harvest time, 

 through the western part of New York, one of 

 the finest wheat growing regions in the United 

 Slates, lis soil contains so much calcareous 

 matter that it is frequently Ibund to eliervesce 

 when mixed with acids; and accustomed as I 

 had been to witness the growih of wheat on lands 

 made rich by putrescent manure, liar more luxu- 

 riant than what 1 saw there, their crops did not 

 present a very imposing aspect. Fields which 

 I was told would yield Irom 25 to 30 bushels to 

 the acre, would not have been adjudged in Vir- 

 ginia to produce more than 10 or 12 bushels. This 

 is the kind of growth we should endeavur to se- 

 cure; and next to having calcareous maner in 

 our lands it is most desirable to have seed pro- 

 duced on calcareous soils. From New York 

 then, or from Pennsylvania, or the valley of Vir- 

 ginia, or any oilier limestone region, we should 

 renew our seed. And the lacili lies now otiiered, 

 by the numerous seedsmen in our towns, are so 

 great, as to (dace it within the power of most 

 larmers to obtain from time to time a lew bushels, 

 which isail thai is requisite lor a supply. 



Every larmer has witnessed the eagerness with 

 whicli new varieties uf wheal liave been sought 

 alter; and he has also experienced the disap- 

 poiuiment of fitiding them lo become entirely 

 I worthless in the course ol a Itiw seasons. 1 could 

 I perhaps enumerate some ten or twelve varieties 

 ; that have been cultivated within the last iweniy- 

 I rive years. K^tch was highly extolled, and all 

 produced well lor a time. We also know that 

 on some larms, or in some neighborhoods or dis- 

 tricts, a variety of wheat continues to be cultivat- 

 ed with success longer than in other neighbor- 

 hoods. The only reason lor this result that I can 

 conceive is, thai where a given variety flourishes 

 longest, there the soil is best adapted to its healthy 

 growih. The owners of such lands have it in 

 their power, at a moderate cost, to render them in 

 a grf at measure exempt from that steriliiy which, 

 as It regards the production of wheat, has over- 

 taken the most of cur soils. 



A striking case in point, in supporl of the view 

 I have attempted to explain, in relation to a 

 change of seed, is off"ered by the lamous Italian 

 spring wheal which attracted so much attention 

 in V^irginia a few years ago. For the first season 

 the product was good ; in some instances it was 

 even extraordinary. Hence it was inlt?rred that 

 spring wheal might be cultivated permanently in 

 our hot climate. The whole amount of success 

 that attended its culture, as subsequent experience 

 fully demonstrated, was to be ascribed lo the 

 (juality of iheseed, which being obtained from a 

 .soil admirably adapted to the perfection of the 

 wheat grain, gave it an ephemeral vitality, dur- 

 ing a favorable season, which enabled it to over- 

 come the influence of opposing causes. After 

 the first year, there were few cases in which 

 more than the seed was reaped. 



But the most interesting and conclusive facts 

 in support of the value of a judicious change of 

 seed were furnished by the late Benjamin Har- 

 rison, in 183S. [See Farmers' Register vol. vi. 

 page 129.] He several limes oi^tained a few 



