171 



SCIENTIFIC AGRICULTURE. 



THE IMPORTANCE AND NECESSITY OF SEED SELECTION. 



Many and varied are the conditions under which agricultural practice is 

 carried on. Plants are as dependeut on food and air for existence as animals, and 

 the more highly specialised the plant, the greater the need for care and attention. 

 Never should Ave forget that by subjecting plants to high cultivation for our own 

 ends, we have made them constitutionally more delicate. Besides, we have upset 

 the balance of nature by establishing hundreds of thousands of plants, of the same 

 order, at the same stage of growth in close proximity. Therefore when insect pests 

 and fungoid diseases begin to work in our midst, they have every chance to play 

 havoc. All crops as at present cultivated have undergone great development under 

 the guidance of man, so that there is ever present the tendency to degenerate or 

 revert to their original condition. This inclination is counteracted by growing 

 the plants in a suitable soil and climate under good cultivation, but most of all, 

 by careful selection of the seed. This fact should be firmly impressed upon the 

 minds of all those interested in economic plant life, as it cannot possibly be 

 overestimated. 



In many countries we have large numbers of trustworthy seed-merchants 

 whose very existence depends upon being able to supply customers with proved 

 seeds for every kind of crop. Very often something really excellent is brought out. 

 This is named and put on the market at a fancy price. In this country seedsmen 

 in the ordinary way are non-existent, so that each planter is thrown more or less 

 on his own resources for the supply of seed for the various crops. This in itself is 

 a blessing in disguise, provided the present indifference and inaction gives place to 

 strenuous efforts being made by each and all for the production of good seed. 

 The older agriculturists talked loud and continually about the desirability of often 

 changing the seed. This undoubtedly had many advantages, and under the old 

 or.ler usually increased returns were obtained by its adoption. The reason, 

 however, is not far to seek. These farmers of olden times grew crops year after 

 year without any idea of saving the best of the crop for the following season. 

 T!iey expected the yield to dwindle, unless plenty of cultivation was put into the 

 soil, and this supplemented by ample dressings of manure. But the remedy was 

 at hand. They could purchase approved seed for their whole area at almost a 

 moment's notice. They understood thoroughly what they were doing, and were 

 far-seeing enough to take into full consideration the conditions under which the 

 p irehased seed had been grown. A later generation of farmers, whilst convinced 

 of the advisability of changing the seed, did not do it quite so often, and they 

 worked under a different system. They bought the best seed obtainable in suffi- 

 cient quantity to sow an area, the crop from which would give seed to plant up 

 what was required in the following year. This newly-introduced seed was grown 

 on the best land and given every chance. It is an excellent practice in many ways. 

 The outlay for seed is relatively small, whilst one year's growth in the district 

 accustoms the plant to that particular soil and climate. Also, if the yield is in any 

 way unsatisfactory, that variety can be discarded, and a fresh one substituted 

 at a minimum of loss. When the live-stock question was under discussion, every 

 one acceded that the introduction of new blood of the best kind into the herd was 

 absolutely essential if vigour and stamina were to be maintained. But then it 

 was acknowledged that the best animals were bred on the spot, and could not be 

 purchased at any price. This was because care had been taken in the selection and 

 mating of the animals. 



