42 



Values of Wheat 



it is evident that the varieties marked Nos. 12 and 15 would not 

 have been so slightly injured, while Nos. 11, 13, 14, and 16, suf- 

 fered so severely. The figures in this column may, therefore, be 

 said to indicate with tolerable accuracy the relative ability of each 

 variety to withstand the effects of a severe and changeable winter, 

 such as that during which the experiment was made. 



The number of plants of each variety which came to perfection, 

 is placed opposite the name of each in the seventh column. This 

 was ascertained by pulling each as they respectively ripened, and 

 counting the plants of each before proceeding to the others. In 

 this way, by a simple subtraction, the numbers contained in the 

 sixth column, also, were ascertained. 



When all the plants of any variety had been pulled, the number 

 of ears, also, belonging to them was counted, and the results are 

 placed in the eighth column. 



By dividing these by 99, the number of square feet which each 

 variety occupied, we obtain the number of ears in each square foot ; 

 and this is placed opposite the name of each wheat, in the ninth 

 column. 



The average number of ears to each root, ascertained by dividing 

 the number of ears by that of the roots, is placed in the tenth co- 

 lumn. This column shows the degree in which each species pos- 

 sesses the important property of spreading and shooting out stems, 

 or, as it is technically termed, of tillering ; and it will be seen that 

 they vary in this respect greatly. 



After having been pulled and dried, the wheat was carefully 

 rubbed out ; and after the light and imperfect grains had been 

 separated, the weight of the remainder was taken, and placed oppo- 

 site each sort, in the eleventh column. 



The thirteenth column contains the number of bushels per acre 

 raised from each variety. As the quantity produced was so small, 

 there was some difficulty in obtaining the particulars which t/his 

 column contains. 



The mode adopted was this. The average weight of several of 

 the varieties was ascertained by weighing 8 pints of each, to be at 

 the rate of 64 lbs. per bushel, some being rather more, and others 

 less. The number of bushels were then obtained from the weight 

 -of wheat per acre, by dividing it by 64. 



The weight of straw, which is placed in the fifteenth and six- 

 teenth columns, was ascertained after the roots had been cut off, and 

 after it had remained out sufficiently long to dry it perfectly. 



After the earth had been removed from the roots, which had 

 been cut off with about 2 inches of the stem, they were weighed, 

 and the result placed in the seventeenth and eighteenth columns. 

 The object of this was to ascertain the amount of vegetable mat- 

 ter left in the soil after the wheat crop has been removed, and the 



