Works on Gardening, Sfc. 607 



The Magazine of Domestic 'Economy. In monthly 8vo numbers, 

 1. to 29. Price Q>d. each. London. 



This is an exceedingly useful periodical, which deserves to be 

 extensively circulated. The only thing which surprises us re- 

 specting it is, that there is not a greater number of original 

 correspondents ; but this is to be accounted for from there being 

 no editor's name. A magazine, where the articles it contains 

 stand on their own intrinsic merits, may gain the confidence of 

 the public under anonymous editorship ; but this is much less 

 likely to be the case where the object is the collection and dis- 

 semination of matters of fact, not so much from books as from 

 living persons. 



On the Varieties^ Properties-^ and Classification of JVJieat. By 

 John Le Couteur, Esq., Captain H. P. late 104th Regiment, 

 Colonel 1st Regiment Royal Jersey Militia, Aide de Camp to 

 the King. Jersey, 1836. 8vo, 122 pages, and 5 plates. 

 Shearsmith, London. 



The importance of selecting varieties suitable for different soils 

 and climates, of the principal plants in cultivation in the garden 

 and farm, may be said to be just beginning to be understood ; 

 and it ought not to be forgotten that one of the first persons to 

 call attention to this subject was Mr. David Bishop, in his Causal 

 Botany, pulished in 1829. (See Vol. V. p. 455., and Vol. VL 

 p. 99.) Colonel Le Couteui''s attention was directed to the sub- 

 ject in 1831, when "he accidentally saw, with astonishment and 

 pleasure, about 80 distinct sorts of wheat growing in a nursery 

 garden in Jersey ; some 7 ft. high, some only 4 ft. ; the ears of 

 some 3 in. long, others 6 in. 



" Professoi- La Gasca, whose they were, happened to join me ; and, though a 

 stranger, he politely explained their nature to me. 



" I requested him to visit my crops the following day. I considered them 

 as pure, at least as unmixed, as those of my neighbours ; when, to my dismay, 

 he drew from three fields three and twenty sorts ; some white wheat, some 

 red, some liver-coloured; some spring wheat ; some dead ripe, the corn 

 shaking out ; some ripe, some half so ; some in a milky state, and some green. 



" I reflected on the subject, and immediately became convinced that no crop, 

 in that state, could either produce the greatest weight of corn, give the 

 largest quantity of flour, or make the best or lightest bread, such as would be 

 produced from a field in an equal and perfect state of ripeness. 



" I directly conceived a plan to endeavour practically to ascertain the 

 relative properties of the best and most productive sorts of wheat. I re- 

 quested Professor La Gasca to show me those which he considered the best. 

 He pointed out fourteen sorts : these I grew with extreme care, in the mode 

 that will be described hereafter. 



" The great first principle 1 wish to advocate is, the proper adaptation of 

 varieties of wheat to the various soils and climates; since it is the suitableness 

 of each sort to each soil that will enable the farmer to pay the rent of his 

 land, by sowing one variety where he would be unable to do so by attempting 

 to grow another of a seemingly better sort." 



In the 1st chapter, "on the Varieties of Wheat," the author 

 observes that, though much has been written on the subject, — 



