240 Varieties, Properties, and Clnssijication of Wheat. Vol. III. 



crease has occurred on my own farm, where 

 three quarters per acre, was formerly the 

 average, but has now gradually increased, in 

 three years out of four, (one year's crop hav- 

 ing been sacrificed lo an experiment) from 

 three or four, to six quarters per acre. Hence, 

 assuming the increase to be only one quarter 

 per acre, instead of the two, or three, which 

 have taken place on my farm ; that increase 

 on five millions of acres, at fifty shillings per 

 quarter, would present an annual augmenta- 

 tion to the national wealth of twelve millions 

 five hundred thousand pounds. 



But this would not be the whole advantage 

 gained. It is further stated by the same re- 

 spectable authority, that one million and a 

 half of quarters have been imported from 

 abroad since 1828, which may have been pur- 

 chased for about two millions sterhng; or m 

 other words, the English farmer lost that sum 

 of money yearly which he might have received 

 for his wheat ; but which was sent out of the 

 country, and paid to foreigners. Again, these 

 differences are merely calculated on the 

 wheat ; it is necessary to take into calcula- 

 tion the increase also, in the quantity of meal, 

 that will accrue, when the system of classi- 

 fication, and the knowledge of the properties 

 of each variety of wheat is attained. 



I have shown that eighteen pounds of good 

 Dantzic and Rostock flour, only made twenty- 

 three pounds of bread, also that eighteen 

 pounds of a farinaceous variety of my own 

 growth, have made twenty-six pounds of 

 bread. Here we have an excess of three 

 pounds of bread on eighteen pounds of flour, 

 or of one-sixth, from two superior sorts of 

 meal, and I shall rest satisfied to make my 

 statements from these— though I am con- 

 Tinced, were I to make them from flour taken 

 from the average mixtures which furnish the 

 flour that is eaten all over the Kingdom, the 

 increase would be greater. 



In the farmers' series. No. 74, at the article 

 " on wheat" we find, that a bushel of wheat 

 averatres forty-eight pounds of both kinds of 

 flour, "of that sort called "seconds;" hence if 

 a superior sort of wheat be made to produce 

 an increase of eight pounds of bread on eve- 

 ry bushel ; there would also be an increa.=!e of i 

 one shilling per bushel on ninety-two millions 

 of bushels, or of four millions six hundred I 

 thousand pounds a year, being a general in- 

 crease of value in the produce of wheat and 

 flour, to the amount of sixteen millions, nine 

 hundred thousand pounds sterling; to which 

 may be further added, the sum that is annually 

 paid by Engli.shmen to foreigners tor corn, or 

 two million's more, being a total increase of 

 eighleen millions, nine hundred thousand a 

 ye'ar. I shall expect to be told that these are 

 mere idle and vain speculations, quite theoreti- 

 cal and visionary, but I claim for consideration 



the experiments of five years, and the facts that 

 I have been enabled to deduce from them. I 

 readily admit that to obtain the vast result I 

 appear to jump at, a large and apparently un- 

 manageable machinery would have to be put 

 into motion, as well as the consentaneous ac- 

 tion of, as it were, a whole people. But if only 

 half, nay a quarter of the result is attainable, 

 it is surely worth the attention of the Gov- 

 ernment, as well as of the whole body of agri- 

 culturists. It is not a system of harassing 

 and vexatious taxation that I am advocating, 

 to endeavor to relieve the country from a por- 

 tion of the burthens which overcharge it ; but 

 a course of regular, slow improvement, sure 

 and infallible in its result, acting steadily upon 

 the best feelings, and individual interests, re- 

 quiring only a regular system guided by one 

 firm and powerful mind, to put the machinery 

 regularly into play. 



It is not surely, because the suggestion ia 

 simple, though new, perhaps I might add com- 

 prehensive ; that it may not educe eminent 

 and lasting benefits to the entire family of 

 man. I am satisfied with pointing out this, 

 as one of the means to relieve the agricul- 

 tural interest, without going into further de- 

 tails; feeling per.suaded that when the appli- 

 cation of my principle shall have extended to 

 red and yellow wheats, and spring wheats 

 also, on neither of which I have yet treated, 

 but have made many experiments, to be pub- 

 lished hereafter ; it will be seen that I have 

 much underrated the mark. This proper 

 adaptation of seed to particular soils, will have 

 the effect of diminishing the risk of the farm- 

 er, will therefore increase the demand for 



labor, and lead to an augmentation of the rate 

 of wages. 



The application of the principle is univer- 

 sal. I have therefore already sent some select 

 1 samples to Persia, to North America, and 

 to the West Indies ; I only wish it to be 

 given a fair and patient trial; it is in the pro- 

 per and general application of it, that the 

 adage, " Union is Power," will be found ; — 

 had I the means to set the machinery in mo- 

 tion, the result would be infallible, after the 

 third or fourth seasons. It must also be 

 kept in mind, that these results are calculated 

 upon fair average crops, not on the differences 

 which may exist between some of the best, 

 and some of the worst varieties, that I have 

 set fi)rth in the tables, nor on the extremes 

 between crops in general cultivation. 



If such were the case, the results would be 

 far more considerable, as the difference be- 

 tween the best red wheat and the moat infe- 

 rior sort, is greater than the difference in the 

 white varieties. I shall fiirther show, that 

 the produce and value of spring wheats is va- 

 rious, should the hints I have thrown out, have 

 been deemed worthy of attention. 



