VITALITY OF SEEDS, 25 
ON THE VITALITY OF SEEDS.—REMARKS ON 
PLANTING, Ete. 
* And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding 
seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed 
is in itself, after his kind; and God saw that it was good.” 
A seed, when duly considered, shews forth the infinite 
wisdom, power and goodness of the Almighty. As it was 
in the beginning, so it continues to be, true to its original 
creation, never diverging or degenerating from its true 
character. New varieties are produced from seed, and 
great improvements attained by the skill of the cultivator ; 
but the properties of the plant remain, and have so re- 
mained for six thousand generations of annual plants. 
Wheat never has, nor ever will turn to chess, as some 
most ignorantly and persistently affirm to be the case. 
Nor do potatoes ever grow upon the roots of the Gilly- 
flower plant. While conducting the New England Farmer 
many years since, a gentleman from Maine sent me a 
sample of potatoes, which he assured me were generated 
and produced, (not from seed) but originated and grew 
upon the roots of that plant. He called it’ “the Gilly- 
flower Potato.” It was in vain that I attempted to show 
him the impossibility of the thing, he was certain this was 
the origin of the potato; and what appeared strange to me, 
was, that he found those who sustained him in the theory 
that new species of plants might be produced by chance, 
and that a potato might originate on the roots of the 
Gilly-flower. 
It is interesting to notice the great diversity in various 
species of seeds, in their shape, size and mode of scatter- 
ing or spreading themselves abroad. The most minute 
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