376 
On " Pedigree " in Wheat 
drilled, November 20, 1860, and the crop, resulting in 54 bushels 
per acre, consisted at its thickest part ol' 934,120 ears per acre. 
In the other instance 4i j)i)its per acre were planted in September 
in single grains, 1 foot apart every way, and the number of ears 
produced per acre was 1,001,880, or 67,760 ears in excess of 
those produced on the other side of the hedge, Irom more than 
ticentij-oiie times the seed here employed. Now, as an area of a 
square foot is more than amply sufficient for the full develop- 
ment of each grain, it is clear that thin seeding is not necessarily 
attended by a thin crop. (See note, p. 377.) 
Having thus seen that fine ears depend upon the full develop- 
ment of the plant, and that this does not occasion such a diminu- 
tion of their number as makes it fall below that commonly 
obtained, let us proceed to examine in detail how we may so act 
as to produce both the finest and most numerous ears ; in other 
words, the greatest possible crop per acre. 
So radical a change as this in our mode of planting wheat 
will necessitate a great change also in the time of planting, it 
Ijting evident that a grain which has to occupy a large space, and 
to produce from twenty to fifty ears, will require more time for 
its growtli than one which has no such area to cover, and is 
expected to produce only two or three ears ; hence the necessity of 
apportioning the quantity of seed employed to the time at which 
it was committed to the ground, or, in other words, of giving each 
grain only j ust so much work to do as the season of planting 
admits of being accomplished. The expression " season of 
planting " must here be understood as implying not a mere date, 
but " probable opportunity of growth ;" and this would be affected 
in some measure by" the differing circumstances of climate, aspect, 
natural or artificial richness of soil, and the character of the ensu- 
ing autumn. In determining the best distance apart at which to 
plant the separate grains, we can only profess to deal with seed 
which is the result of continued selection, for the vital powers of 
the different grains of ordinary wheat are so veri/ unequal that it 
would be manifestly impossible to fix on any uniform distance, 
because that which would afford room for the perfect growth of 
the most vigorous grains would leave far more than would be 
required by the least vigorous. But by repeated selection, com- 
mencing annually with a single grain, the vital power becomes. 
equalized in a very remarkable degree, and that in proportion to 
the length of time during which the process of selection has been 
c(mtinued. Nor is this equalization confined to their tillering 
powers alone, but, which is etpially important, is exhibited also 
in the ears in their nearer approach to uniformity ol size. 
It is evident tliat the proper space and time to allow to grains 
