1840. 



THE GENESEE FAIIMER 



63 



{Transmutation of plants. 



WHEAT AND OHESS. 

 BV R. E. W UtKIV 



Much has been paid, pro and con, for a few years 

 past upon the metamorphosis of w heat to chess ; and 

 while some writers have denied the possibility of 

 such a change, Others have maintained with equal 

 confidence that, under certain circumstances, such a 

 change does take place. I am not at all surprised 

 that many who have never given the subject a 

 thorough investigation, but have taken appearances 

 aud the belief of their ancestors as law and gospel, 

 should adhere to and advocate this doctrine, but I am 

 surprised that any observing person should adhere 

 to a doctrine which does not bear the test of experi- 

 ment, and which is not supported by a solitary 

 scientific fact or argument. 



We shall look in vain through the whole vegetable 

 kingdom for a parallel — the changes produced by 

 cultivation — those witnessed in the Orchis and other 

 tribes do not furnish it — for varieties only, arid not 

 new Genera and Species, are thus produced. Wheat 

 and chess do not even belong to the same Genus, 

 and if the theory of the transmutation of wheat to 

 chess be admitted, it presents a solitary exception to 

 the laws which govern the vegetable kingdom — an 

 anomaly in the vegetable creation. 



Perhaps by a little investigation we may arrive at 

 the true state of the case, and satisfy ourselves 

 whether this one anomalous circumstance does exist 

 in the vegetable kingdom — whether wheat is ever 

 metamorphosed to chess. Let us first premise that 

 in no other known case does the metamorphosis 

 extend beyond the production of varieties by culti- 

 vation, or by the admixture of the pollen of plants 

 of different species in the same genus. Thus the 

 pollen of the pumpkin will fecundate the seed of the 

 squash, and the product will partake of the properties 

 of both. The same may be said of the different 

 varieties of apples, peaches, potatoes, corn, &c. But 

 we never find varieties produced by the intermixture 

 of the pollen of different genera, as of apples and 

 pears, melons and pumpkins, or of Indian corn and 

 broom corn. Indeed such changes rarely take place 

 in different species of the same genus, and when they 

 do, varieties only, and not new species are produced. 

 We never discover any thing of the kind among the 

 Asters, the Solidagos or the Careces ; yet these are 

 three of the largest genera of plants. If we plant 

 a kernel of Indian corn we do not expect it to pro- 

 duce broom corn ; neither do we look for oats or 

 rye from wheat, yet, in fact, there is as much proba- 

 bility and possibility of such a change, as that wheat 

 will change to chess. None of them belong to the 

 6ame genus. Wheat belongs to the genus Triticum 

 — rye, Secale — oat*, Arena — chess, Bromm. But, 

 say you, this metamorphosis may take place by chang- 

 ing the condition of the roots of the young plants, 

 and without the agency of the pollen. In fact, this 

 seems to be the general belief. A few words will 

 expose the fallacy of this theory also. 



Students of nature have in vain endeavored to 

 determine by what process plants are enabled to 

 absorb from the earth, and appropriate to their use 

 only such elements as their particular organization 

 requires, rejecting all others. We see the oak, 

 sugar maple, chestnut, gensing, poison hemlock and 

 deadly night-shade spring from the same soil and 



experience no fear that their proximity will cause 

 the one ti partake of the properties ol the other; 

 in whatever situation they grow we find their con- 

 stituents the -rune. 



Some ti •' I that the form of the pores in 



the hark of the I B the con- 



dition.- of mdotmose and exotmose, (flowing in and 

 flowing out) of the ingredients held in solution by 

 the moisture c< itai ied in the earth, which may be 

 the case, although the phenomenon has by no means 

 been fully and satisfactorily accounted for. 



In order to account for the change of wheat to 

 chess in this way, we mi e that the form 



of the pores — the conditions of the endosmose and 

 exosmosc — by some unseen agency meet with a 

 radical change, which is again contrary to all ex- 

 perience, and the only known exception to the laws 

 which govern and regulate vegetation. Let the 

 conditions be what they may, we nowhere else in 

 nature find a parallel to this. Hence, wo are almost 

 irresistably forced to the conclusion that no such 

 transmutation ever occurs, and shall be forced to 

 concede the point if we can account for the presence 

 of chess in any other manner, which we will en- 

 deavor to do in a few words. 



Not only will chess vegetate, which has often 

 been denied, but its vitality is not destroyed by lying 

 in the ground several years. Hence experiments 

 for testing the fact of its production from wheat, 

 should be conducted with the utmost caution. It 

 may be in the ground before the wheat is sown, and 

 it is a well known fact that pigeons disgorge it from 

 their crops, (and also other food) when they find any 

 thing more palatable. 



Farmers are often deceived as to the amount of 

 chess contained in their seed wheat, and often that 

 which is considered very clean, will contain two or 

 three kernels of chess to each handfull of wiieat, 

 and, allowing this to cover two square yards of 

 ground, we have at least one kernel of chess tojevery 

 square yard of ground, and oftener three. (' 

 rarely winter-kills, it being much more hardy than 

 wheat. In the fall of 1847 I planted sixteen kernels 

 of wheat and sixteen kernels of chess side by Bide — 

 only three roots of wheat survived the winter and 

 came to maturity, whilst thirteen roots of the chess 

 matured. Comment is needless. 



It may be asked why so much more chess is found 

 in fields of winter-killed wheat than in others, if wheat 

 does not change to chess? I answer: where the 

 wheat is killed the chess has abundant room to stool 

 out — from 25 to 80 stalks often springing from one 

 root. As many roots of chess may exist in a field 

 of wheat which is not winter-killed, but notasmany 

 stalks, as the wheat prevents its stool ing. These 

 facts may be ascertained by any one who will take 

 the trouble to investigate. 



But the most conclusive argument against the 

 theory, is the fact that those who have made careful 

 experiments upon the subject, become convinced 

 that no such change takes place — those who sow no 

 chess reap none. Alabama, JY. I., Feb., 1S49. 



It has been eloquently remarked, that in the ob- 

 scurity of the cottage, far from seduction of rank 

 and affluence, is nursed the virtue which counteracts 

 the decav of human institutions — the courage which 

 defends the national independence — the industry • 

 which maintains all classes of the State. 



