84 AGRICULTURAL REPORT. [March, 



ted by an experiment made by the Rev. Dr. Freeman, in Dor- 

 chester, some years since, who, with great care in selecting the 

 earhest ripe for planting, actually forwarded the ripening of the 

 common case-knife garden bean, and obtained his crop in twen- 

 ty-seven days less than the season required for its maturity 

 when he began the experiment. After repeated trials he found 

 he could not go beyond this, and came to the conclusion there- 

 fore that he had reached the ultimate practicable limit.* 



In respect to the selection of seed, nothing can be worse than 

 the habits of our farmers. In this respect, however, two far- 

 mers in Hawley, Franklin county, have set a laudable exam- 

 ple. By a selection of the best heads of wheat they could find 

 in their fields, and planting these seeds by themselves, they 

 have succeeded, after three or four years' care, in obtaining a 

 superior variety ; and have now not only enough for their own 

 use, but to sell. They raise wheat now in abundance, and of 

 excellent quality ; all the product of the careful selection of 

 seed wheat from superior heads, in their own fields. 



Wheat diflers in its season of ripening ; some winter wheats 

 being much more forward than others, and so with summer 

 wheats ; in the length of the heads ; in the hardiness of the 

 plants ; in liability to disease or to blight ; and to the attacks of 

 insects ; in amount of yield, some kinds being much more pro- 

 lific than others ; and especially in the quantity and quality of 

 the flour yielded from the same amount of grain. In all these 

 respects, there are cardinal differences which materially affect 

 the value of the crop.f These differences can be ascertained 

 only by careful trial ; but where these trials cannot be made 

 we may avail ourselves of the experiments of others, upon 

 whose authority we can place reliance. In most cases among 

 us seeds are very much mixed. Different kinds are found in 

 the same parcel. It would be worth a great deal of pains to 

 obtain a pure crop. But this can only be done by a laborious, 

 patient and careful selection ; and the cultivation of selected 

 varieties, under such circumstances that they cannot mix, either 

 in the flower or the seed, and the best plants of these varieties. 



* Appendix F. t Appendix G. 



