xxvi Notices for a Young Farmer* 



harm, often, (not always,) escape injuries ; though they gain 

 no immediate advantages. 



XIV. Select the best seed of all your grain; roll it in plaster, 

 after wetting it; if you will not steep it. But a change of 

 seed entirely, when the grain has heen sown too long on the 

 same farm, can be at once accomplished, by procuring a full 

 supply from distant places ; and the more distant the better, 

 without waiting for the tedious process of gradual selection ; 

 however commendable the latter may be. All thoroughly 

 experienced writers recommend changes. Some distinguish 

 between native and exotic plants. Our cultivated grains, 

 particularly wheat, are exotic and should he frequently 

 changed ; though some instances of long continuance of the like 

 crops from unchanged seed, may he produced. Where wheat 

 is native, it is a mean grass ; it being of the Gramina tribe. 

 It has been improved to its now perfect state, by change of 

 locality and culture, and by crossing; which is effected by 

 sowing different kinds together. Wheat so crossed has been 

 proved to resist mildew and other maladies ; when common 

 wheat of one kind, in the same or adjacent fields, has been 

 ruined. Melioration of plants by crossing is found to be so 

 successful ; that, in England, they are in the practice of ap- 

 plying a similar process to fruit trees. Mr. Knight has been 

 very fortunate in renovating their Orchards, by crossing from 

 seeds of different kinds of apples ; so as to produce, in a 

 course of time, a new and vigorous race of apple trees ; the 

 old kinds having been, for many years, in a state of irre- 

 trievable decay. 



But the crossing must go no farther than the point of me. 

 Jioration ; i. e. unnecessary repetitions should be avoided. 

 The harriers of nature must not be broken down. Hybridous 

 mixtures are unfruitful and worthless. 



. Our grain plants do not tiller, or stool, as formerly ; and 

 especially those necessarily sown late, to escape the Hessian 

 Fly. A greater quantity of seed must therefore be allowed, 

 than our predecessors were in the habit of using. One would 

 imagine, that in countries celebrated for agricultural know- 

 ledge, the point of thick or thin sowing had been long set- 



