240 



THE WHEAT CULTTJEIST. 



ports ; the last being for the year 1857, at which time, 

 so few seeds were found to retain their vegetative powers, 

 that it was deemed necessary to consider the object 

 attained. 



The results of their investigation are well known, 

 and are exceedingly interesting. Thus, they found that 

 in their hands, the celebrated mummy wheat which had 

 been claimed to have come down from the time of the 

 Pharaohs, had no such vitality as had been claimed for 

 it. After a few years, it entirely loses its vegetative 

 powers. Some seeds, as lettuce, become worthless after 

 a couple of years. Others, as melons, endure for a 

 comparatively long period. A few of the most interest- 

 ing of these results I give. They found that the great- 

 est age at which seeds germinated are as follows, viz. : 



Maize, . . 

 Oats, . . . 

 Spring Wheat, 

 %e, . . . 

 Barley, . . 



3 yrs. 



. 3 " 

 . 3 

 . 3 " 



Cabbage, 



Hibiscus, 



Carrot, 



Beet, 



Lettuce, 



3 yrs. 

 27 " 

 8 " 

 8 « 

 3 " 



Only two kinds (Colutea and Coronilla) vegetated after 

 a lapse of forty-seven years. 



The vitality shown by some seeds is wonderful ; and 

 the probability is, that certain kinds of seeds retain 

 their vitality much longer in one climate than in ano- 

 ther. I once sowed some timothy seed, which I raised 

 on my own farm, which was six years old, bright and 

 plump when it was sowed. But, not a seed vegetated, 

 although it was sowed on new land, where the soil fa- 

 vored the vegetation of every seed. I also sowed a sack 

 of Russian flaxseed, which appeared bright and heavy ; 

 but not one single plant ever appeared. 



