82 



THE WHEAT CULTUKIST. 



the characteristics of which are well established. Yet, 

 if the cultivation be inferior, the cultivator will most 

 assuredly reap the bitter fruits of disappointment in his 

 efforts to produce a large yield of grain. 



I here"w^th condense an interesting account of experi- 

 ments made in the Old World by Mr. Hallett, of 

 Brighton. I will point out to young farmers — as well 

 as to old ones — certain points in which this gentle- 

 man as well as all others will fail, as the premises are 

 wrono'. 



Mr. Hallett's first idea was to increase the tiller- 

 ing power of wheat, so that less seed would be needed. 

 That is all well enough, pro^dded the soil is sufficiently 

 rich to furnish an abundant supply of plant food for a 

 large number of stems. If a plant of wheat be induced 

 by any possible means to tiller largely, and the land be 

 too poor to supply nourishment sufficient to develop 

 such a laro'e number of stems, the heads must be short 

 and kernels of grain small. On this same principle, it 

 will be found to be more profitable to grow only one 

 large ear of Indian corn on a single stalk, where the 

 land is not sufficiently rich to develop two, than to 

 attempt to produce two ears, as they would necessarily 

 be small. Yet, if the soil be so well fattened that there 

 is sufficient pabulum to build up and to develop two 

 large ears on a stalk, let that variety be planted. It 

 will be folly to develop the habit of tillering in any 

 kind of grain, unless the fertility of the soil be improved 

 at the same time. Mr. Hallett proposed to improve the 

 tillering characteristic by early seeding. 



His next purpose was to increase the length of the 

 ears and the number of kernels of grain in every head. 

 This he proposed to accomplish by careful selection, and 



