174 



THE GENESEE FARMER. 



on this stool were perfect. These contained res- 

 pectively 71 and 74 grains each. 



The 74 grains of the largest ear were planted in 

 the fall of 1860, and one of them produced fifty- 

 two ears. The best one of which was 8f inches 

 long and contained 123 kernels. 



This was the harvest of 1861. 



As to the yield per acre, Mr. H. says: "The 

 pedigree wheat planted singly, Sept. 9, 1859, in 

 holes 9 inches apart every way, produced in 1860, 

 notwithstanding the very disastrous character of 

 the season, If bushels on 698 square feet on umna- 

 nured land, or 108 bushels per acre! 



Up to this time Mr. H. had not sufficient pedi- 

 gree wheat to test it on a large scale, and the fall 

 of 1860 was so wet that he could not sow till the 

 last of October — fully six weeks too late for the 

 quantity of seed sown, which was only one peck 

 per acre. Nevertheless, on a field of ten acres, 

 which Mr. H. says " was the worst wheat-field on 

 my farm," he obtained 57 bushels of wheat per 

 acre. Under the circumstances, this is undoubt- 

 edly a large yield, and plainly shows that under 

 favorable conditions an immense crop may be 

 raised. 



"We shall look with great interest to the results 

 of this year's harvest. 



We annex a cut of one of the two original ears, 

 and one of the best ear produced in 1859, after two 

 years " breeding." The Journal contains a cut. of 

 the best ear obtained in 1861, after four years re- 

 peated selection, but it is too long for our columns. 

 It was 8| inches long and contained 123^ grains, 

 and there were 52 ears on the stool ! 



BEANS-BEANS-WHO KNOWS 'EM. 



Eds. Genesee Farmer : — Most likely you have 

 little room in the Genesee Farmer for letters more 

 merry than wise, but your correspondent claims to 

 be p-q-liar in this, that his mind is made as easy 

 whether his letters be printed or not. 



Now, beans are a very nice crop to raise, very 

 pretty to look at, and very good for the soil, no 

 doubt, especially if rather heavy, and if you feed 

 out your crop on the farm. But there are doubts 

 in your correspondent's mind as to the profit, if 

 grown for sale, and, if the white bean be planted, 

 as to the feedin' on 'em out. 



As to the profit, I have no data as to what is a 

 fair crop, but assume (subject to correction) that 

 forty bushels per acre would be very satisfactory, 

 and, at two dollars per bushel, quite profitable, but 

 for robbing the farm of a large amount of nitrogen. 

 Some years ago, beans sold at $2 and upward, and 

 the price is now high again ; but for two or three 

 years back it has been as low as 75 cents, and at 

 that price I think it would not pay to grow them 

 for sale. Again, the culture of beans in small and 

 occasionally in large quantities has been universal 



