16 THE SCIENCE AND PRACTICE 



Mixtures, again, do not come up at the same time ; 

 sorts may differ in this respect, but especially do old 

 and new seeds vary as to their germinating powers : 

 two-year-old seeds taking four or five days more to 

 come up than a new sample ; thus giving a greater 

 chance for the ravages of the flea-beetle than where 

 the seed all comes up quickly. 



Now, as a practical application of these remarks, 

 we here quote from an article in the Agricultural 

 Gazette of May 24th, 1862. 



Who among seedsmen does not profess to offer the seeds of swedes 

 and turnips from selected bulbs ? And though it is quite true that the 

 practice is not so universal as is the profession of it, yet the general 

 assumption of its being so on the part of seed growers and sellers is 

 an admission that it would be for the advantage of the buyer of seeds 

 were the roots from which seeds are to be grown carefully selected. 

 And on the other hand, let the observant agriculturist take a journey 

 on any of our great lines of railway (in early summer), and he will 

 be struck with the many patches of bright yellow flowers which he 

 will not fail to notice on either hand. In nine cases out of ten, 

 these are fields or portions of fields of turnips, either the Swedish or 

 common kinds, which, from the abundance of keep, it has been thought 

 would be more profitable to seed than to eat off, especially as they 

 have so rapidly grown out of the way. Are these patches of selected 

 bulbs 1 We happen to know, from a more than ordinarily careful 

 examination, that not one per cent, of seeding-patches are from 

 selected roots ; but they are seeded just as they grew, and we do not 

 know of a single instance where in such seeding the objectionable 

 roots have been removed ; but we do know of plenty of cases where 

 the worst part of a field has been saved for seed, doubtless as the 

 most profitable way of dealing with it under the circumstances 

 wrought out by the spring of 1S62. 



Of course, this will all come into the market, and too much of it, 

 under a stereotyped declaration of 'from selected bulbs' That all the 

 seed grown in 1862 will be sown in 1863 is simply impossible; but 

 no matter, it will find a market somehow, some time. With such 

 facts as these before us, who can wonder that any plant should 

 become degenerate ? Let some of the seed of this year be watched, 



