NEW VARIETIES OF WHEAT. 
141 
ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE. 
For the American Agriculturist. 
NEW VARIETIES OF WHEAT. 
An intelligent, close, and accurate attention to 
the crops in the field, would enable our farmers to 
introduce many new and valuable varieties of grain 
into general use. It is a perfectly well-settled fact 
in botany, that many of the products which are the 
objects of careful cultivation on our farms, have 
been so much improved from their natural condi¬ 
tion, as to bear but the slightest resemblance to 
the original. Our immense drum-head cabbage, 
and all the other varieties, have sprung from an 
inconsiderable weed, the colewort ( brassica olera - 
cea), hardly as large as one’s hand; and the whole 
circle of varieties of our apples, from the tiny, yet 
delicate flyer and lady apple, to the golden pippin, 
and pound royal, derive their parentage from the 
sour, hard, diminutive crab, which is but little 
larger than a green persimmon, and almost as 
acrid. 
Nearly all the articles we raise, have been im¬ 
proved from their natural condition in the quantity 
and quality of their growth, and many of them so 
much, as to bear but the slightest resemblance to 
their uncultivated ancestry. Indeed, some of the 
most common and necessary of our products have 
been so long under an artificial management, that 
we do not even know the source whence they have 
been derived. Among these, wheat is one of the 
most important. It has been the object of cultiva¬ 
tion at least as far back as some of the earliest 
records of sacred and profane history extend, and 
as the specimens of our cultivated varieties are no¬ 
where found in a wild state, it is obvious, that its 
original is among the hitherto undiscovered seeds 
of nature. Without intending to provoke, or under 
any circumstances, to be led into controversy on 
the subject, I would suggest that its true and ulti¬ 
mate original is chess. I have scarcely glanced at 
the chess controversy that has raged so furiously 
for some years past, and have no personal experi¬ 
ence in the matter; but the fact, which rests on 
some of the most unexceptionable testimony, that 
the same root has produced stalks both of wheat and 
chess ; nay further, that the same stalk has produ¬ 
ced heads of reheat and chess at the same time , 
would seem to settle the matter, if further evidence 
were wanting, in addition to the mass of proof, that 
chess has, in numerous instances, been produced 
from wheat sown, when from its being thrown out 
by frost, or partially destroyed from other causes, 
its usual supply of nourishment has been withheld. 
That chess should produce chess, is a most natural 
conclusion if the above suggestion be admitted; 
for when once thrown back to its original, we must 
infer from every botanical principle, that years of 
the closest attention, and most careful cultivation, 
would be required to bring it back to its present 
perfect form and character. 
ftf. But my only purpose at the present moment, is 
to urge the more general observance of what has 
long been practised by the most skilful agricultur¬ 
ists. Numerous instances are given of the produc¬ 
tion of new varieties by the accidental mixing of 
others, and the observing farmer will not fail to 
notice this new visiter in his fields, and carefully 
preserve, and thoroughly test its peculiar merits,. 
The greater part of our best varieties of wheat 
have been accidentally produced, and the merit of 
their discoverers consists solely in their vigilant 
detection, careful culture, and general introduction. 
Several heads, or even a single head, has sometimes 
been discovered in a whole field, which, by its su¬ 
perior growth, fulness, weight, and perfection, has 
laid the foundation of the most valuable varieties. 
Thus we have the Hopetown, a valuable Scotch 
wheat, propagated by Mr. Sheriff; the Chevalier, 
first detected by the Rev. Mr. Chevalier, in a field 
of wheat, in England; the Wheatland red, first 
produced from other varieties by General Harmon 
of our state; and the Dyock oat, produced in Scot¬ 
land. A similar attention on the part of farmers, 
may be instrumental in the introduction of numer¬ 
ous other kinds, equally, or even more valuable 
and productive. 
In observing the character of new varieties, the 
closest attention should be given to every feature 
of the grain, and its superiority fairly and fully 
tested before adopting it as an acknowledged im¬ 
provement. It must be such, as on particular soils, 
will, under all ordinary circumstances of general 
cultivation, for a long series of years, give the 
greatest value of products for the same expense of 
cultivation. And to do this, numerous characteris¬ 
tics are to be taken into consideration. 
1st. The general hardiness of the plant, and its 
capability of resisting the besetting evils of this 
grain, the Hessian fly ; throwing out by frost and 
winter-killing; rust or mildew; such, it is claimed, 
is the Mediterranean. 
2d. A good, strong, upright stalk, with just 
enough of straw for the object, and no more. 
3d. No beard is desirable; a head well filled 
and heavy; and retaining the grain as long after 
it is fit to cut as possible. 
4th. A pre-disposition to tiller well. 
5th. A plump, full berry, capable of yielding a 
large quantity of white flour, with a large propor¬ 
tion of gluten, and as little bran as possible. Such 
is not the Mediterranean, and of course, its advan¬ 
tages are to be weighed against its disadvantages, 
and every farmer is to decide according to his own 
circumstances whether he will cultivate it or not. 
On our finest wheat-lands, it would not be grown 
at all, while many may be compelled to take it or 
go without wheat altogether. 
It is possible that still and attention in mixing 
would produce some new kinds of great value. 
The necessity of occasionally introducing new va¬ 
rieties, is at once seen from the fact, that such as 
are the best adapted to any particular soil, climate, 
or position, are frequently giving out, and their 
place must be supplied with other kinds, or great 
loss, and perhaps a total destruction of the crops 
must ensue. | 
The importance of the improvement of our 
wheat crop, in an economical and national point 
of view, would, at a first glance, hardly be credited. 
Suppose, that by universal attention throughout 
the United States to the most obvious, simple, and 
generally acknowledged rules for its improvement, 
