64 



THE WHEAT CULTUBIST. 



spring grain is, to have the ground all ready for the seed 

 in late autumn ; and then, the day before the ground 

 is frozen up solid, sow and harrow in, or di'ill in the 

 seed. Unless the ground is covered with a deep snow, 

 the grain will seldom germinate until the following 

 spring. (Read the remarks on another page of this 

 treatise, under the head of Sowing Wheat in Winter.) 

 Should there be a heavy body of snow on the ground 

 for two or three months, the wheat will sometimes veg- 

 etate, and get a fair start, before the growing season 

 commences the next spring. As a general rule, wheat 

 sowed at such a time does not succeed satisfactorily 

 the first, nor the second season. But let the seed be 

 selected with care for a few successive years, and 

 sowed in the early part of the growing season ; and 

 after a few years, if the experiment has been conducted 

 on a soil which is in an excellent state of fertility, a 

 new variety of spring wheat will have been secured. 



In attempting to produce a new variety of spring 

 wheat from winter grain, seed of a very hardy and 

 prolific variety should be selected, in preference to 

 taking seed of some ordinary variety. 



A writer inquired of the Editor of the " Germantown 

 Telegraph" : "What is Spring Wheat ? Is it a distinct 

 species of grain from winter wheat, and if so, where has 

 it come from ? If not, how was it produced from winter 

 wheat ? I have applied in many quarters for answers to 

 these questions without success. A reply will oblige 

 many besides myself" The Editor answered : " Spring 

 wheat is a mere variety of winter wheat. Some of the 

 oldest botanists made them distinct species ; but winter 

 wheat, sown early in spring, has ripened grain the same 

 year ; and other changes are produced in a similar way. 



