Scientific Agriculture. 



172 



This idea ought to be carried into the domain of plant life. A frequent 

 change of seed may be highly desirable and profitable under some conditions, but it 

 is ridiculous and unsatisfactory in every way for a grower to change his seed year 

 by year. Ample proof has been given over and over again that in any particular 

 district seed can be produced by selection, which for vitality, immunity from 

 disease, and crop producing qualities, far excels that of any variety suddenly 

 dumped down from outside sources. The older growers exercised no care whatever 

 regarding their seeds, so that the manifold advantages of changing the seed were, 

 in their particular case, very evident. 



Cotton is the crop in which we are at present most interested, but the 

 methods to be described are applicable to every crop under cultivation. For the 

 production of high quality and big yields, failure can be the only result if the best 

 seed be not sown, no matter how good the cultivation or liberal the manuring. We 

 are all cognisant of the methods adopted to improve, or even to keep up to standard, 

 any herd of animals. The weak and puny are eliminated, and quality is the one 

 aim kept in view. The advantages are evident, even to the man in the street. 

 Carry this conception into the plant world, and it will be seen that if any variety 

 of plant is to be kept vigorous, we must try to keep the scraggy weaklings from 

 propagation. This is our only hope if we wish paying crops. Below are some of 

 the methods at present adopted for improving crops, many of which can be carried 

 out by the ordinary farmer. 



(1.) Reserve the best part of the crop for seed. (2.) We may keep back for 

 seed purposes the biggest and best developed seed from the whole crop. (3.) Sponta- 

 neous types or sports may be found differing completely from the other plants. 

 If these have superior qualities the seed should be treasured and carefully planted 

 out next growing season. (4.) By raising plants from seeds instead of from buds. 

 (5.) By raising plants from seeds instead of wnderground stems. (6.) By cross- 

 fertilisation or hybridisation. 



(I.; THE SAVING OF THE BEST PART OF THE CROP FOR SEED. 



The commonest way adopted is to reserve a certain area for seed purposes. 

 This is given full opportunities for good development, and the resulting crop is 

 kept back entirely for next season's sowing. Another method, and no less com- 

 mendable, is to go over the growing crop and note any particular areas of great 

 promise. The seed from the selected portions is carefully set apart for next year's 

 crop. But neither of the above is sufficient if we wish to progress on the right lines. 

 For example, we wish to develop varieties of cotton which, above all its other 

 qualities, must be an early ripener. What system should we adopt to attain that 

 end ? We must collect the early ripening bolls, and after ginning this cotton by 

 itself, reserve the seed for the propagation of the crop. That this is sound and 

 efficacious has been demonstrated times without number. Perhaps the best object 

 lesson in this respect is to be found in a careful study of Sea Island cotton which 

 to-day stands pre-eminent. Long ago when cotton seed was first introduced into 

 that district it failed to give a crop in its first season. The plants died down, but 

 in the spring of the next year grew up and managed to ripen a few bolls before the 

 end of the second season. The seeds from these were again planted with great care. 

 The method was assiduously followed up until to-day we find the Sea Island cotton 

 ripening its crop in one season. And not only so, but, in the meantime, the length, 

 strength and fineness of the product have been enormously improved, so that nowa- 

 days it is unequalled on the market. Perhaps a more homely illustration will add 

 weight to what has preceded. The progenitor of such diverse plants as the turnip, 

 cabbage, cauliflower, kohl-rabi, etc., was one and the same, growing in its natural 

 habitat on the sea-shore. But man stepped in and by persistent and continued 



