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NEW ENGLAND FAE^JER. 



Aug. 



SELECTING SEED "WHEAT. 



Mr. Fruit tells, in the Prairie Farmer, how 

 he obtained the "Early May" wheat, a very 

 good variety, equal to any, even that which is 

 being advertised at a dollar a pint by the 

 seedsnaen. 



Being in a wheat field at harvest time, he 

 noticed some heads that appeared riper and 

 sounder than the rest, and got leave to go 

 among the standing grain and select such heads 

 as he chose. He soon made a collection of 

 heads, riper, sounder and better developed 

 than the mass of grain in the field. This he 

 sowed, and has produced what seems to be a 

 new variety of fine, heavy early wheat, which 

 he warrants with fair treatment to yield from 

 twenty- five to thirty bushels to the acre. 



This reminds us of a story that is told of the 

 Chinese emperor who, noticing a stalk of wheat 

 growing in a field, taller and riper than the 

 rest of the field, caused it to be gathered and 

 planted, and its produce cultivated. He thus 

 introduced a finer variety than had hitherto 

 been grown in China, greatly to the advantage 

 of his people. 



These instances simply show the advantage 

 of selecting good seed, a matter that receives 

 much less attention than it deserves, and is 

 as applicable to all other grains as to wheat. 



When wheat is cultivated in the drill it is 

 easy to go through the field and select the 

 ripest, largest and soundest heads. A few 

 quarts of such seed, carefully preserved and 

 cultivated — as of course it would be — would 

 soon produce a marked eflFect in any neighbor- 

 hood. Any farmer who will follow this prac- 

 tice of gathering the best heads in his field 

 would soon make for himself the reputation of 

 having the best seed wheat in his neighbor- 

 hood, which would be a small fortune for him, 

 and the influence of his example would render 

 him a public benefactor. 



The practice of selecting the best ears of 

 corn for seed, which has long been pursued by 

 New England farmers, is doubtless one reason 

 why the corn crop in our less favorable climate 

 and soil equals or even surpasses the average 

 crops of the corn States at the West, where 

 they dip into the corn bin and use the average 

 corn for seed. 



The time for selecting the best heads of 

 wheat is now close at hand. How many farm- 

 ers this season will devote a few hours to 



selecting the best heads of wheat for seed the 

 next year ? 



Cheese Factories in Michigan. — In giving 

 an account of a visit to a cheese factory in Farm- 

 ington, Oakland county, the editor of the Michigan 

 Farmer says, it is the first institution of the kind 

 established in that part of the State. Milk is de- 

 livered at the factory night and morning, — the 

 practice of delivering it only in the morning hav- 

 ing proved unsatisfactory. About 2300 pounds of 

 milk are received daily, and oj?e pound of cheese is 

 produced for each ten pounds'of milk. A branch 

 factory has been established near by, and another 

 has been built in North Farmington. From a per- 

 sonal acquaintance with the farms of this section 

 when they were more than thirty years newer 

 than they are now, we agree with the remark of the 

 editor that "there is no good reason why the very 

 best of cheese cannot be made in Oakland County, 

 Mich., as well as in Chautauqua or Herkimer, 

 N. Y." The same remark might be made of many 

 other counties in many other western States. 



The "Wire "Worm.— There is much complaint 

 this season of the wire worm destroying the corn. 

 Especially is this true in the "West. Some whole 

 fields, especially where the soil is black and rather 

 moist, are almost entirely destroyed. The experi- 

 ence of many years has taught us that a small 

 quantity of plaster dropped into the hill with the 

 seed corn is an effectual remedy. It may be used 

 also in the following manner, when it becomes as 

 effectual against the crows as against the worms : 

 Soak the corn a few hours in water, then drain off 

 the water and stir in dry plaster until every kernel 

 is coated with it. The crows do not like plastered 

 corn, and will soon leave it. Plaster also is as 

 effectual in keeping the wire worm from potatoes. 

 They are apt to attack potatoes in moist soil. A 

 small handful of plaster in the hill will ensure 

 smooth-skinned potatoes, free from the scarifica- 

 tions of the cut worm. The remedy is simple, 

 cheap and eflFectual. 



Cornell University. — This institution seems 

 to be popular with the wealthy men of New York, 

 perhaps on the principle that to those who have 

 shall be given. Hon. William Kelley of Rinebeck, 

 and two other good friends, as we learn by the 

 Ithaca Journal, have given it .f 42,000 in cash. This 

 will be applied to the library. Mr. Gerrett Smith 

 has also made a very handsome gift of scientific 

 works to the University. 



Hereford Crosses. — A few weeks since our 

 cattle market reporter noticed a superior lot of 

 steers raised by Mr. F. W. Stone, of Guelph, Oata- 

 rio, and sold at Cambridge by Mr. J. C. Hamilton. 

 A correspondent of the Country Gentleman who 

 saw them at home, but after they Lad been sold, 



