86 CULTURE OF FARM CROPS. 



stance the old method the number of pecks to the acre 

 of seed sown was 6, and from this the crop was 54 bushels, 

 consisting of, at its thickest part, 934,100 ears. On the 

 " selection " system, the quantity of seed sown per acre was 

 four and a half pints, the seed being sown or dibbled 1 2 

 inches apart each way, and the number of ears produced 

 was 1,000,880, or 67,760 ears in excess of the other yield; 

 thus giving this excess with a saving of twenty-one times 

 the quantity of seed. The system of " selection " in being 

 carried out into practice, will obviously modify that as at 

 present adopted. The first modification is the time of 

 planting; that this must be earlier than the present is 

 obvious enough, inasmuch as a grain which has to occupy 

 a large space of ground, and is expected to produce a 

 greater number of ears, will require a longer time than if 

 grown under ordinary circumstances. The second modifi- 

 cation is, the necessity for apportioning the quantity of 

 seed in proportion to the time at which it is committed to 

 the ground. This, however, is done in ordinary practice, 

 where the quantity of seed sown is greater in proportion 

 as the time of sowing is later. The third modification is, 

 the distance at which the seeds should be sown ; this may 

 also be subjected to change, according to the time at which 

 the sowing is done. Mr. Hallett, in giving directions upon 

 these three points, says that he can only do so on the sup- 

 position that he has selected seed to deal with; for the 

 different grains of ordinary wheat are so very unequal in 

 reproductive power, that it "would be manifestly impossible 

 to fix on any uniform distance " or quantity. For, as re- 

 gards distance, it is clear that if a certain space was that 

 which was required for a vigorous grain, for a less vigorous 

 one it would be too much. While on this point, Mr. 

 Hallett draws attention to the fact, that by selection the 

 reproductive power of wheat is equalized in a very remark- 

 able degree ; and that the equalization is just in proportion 

 to the length of tirne over which the selection has been 

 carried; and this equalization is not confined to one, but 

 it is observable in all the peculiarities of the plan. 



