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from a single plant, which he had observed to be more productive, and of a 
better quality than the rest; which he is satisfied has been of great use. 
And he is of opinion, that all kinds of garden vegetables may be improved 
by the methods described above, particular care being taken that different 
kinds of the same vegetables do not bloom at the same time, near together; 
since by this means they injure one another.”—Vide Communications to 
the Board of Agriculture. 
The choice of the seed intended to be sown, is an object of greater 
importance than many farmers seem to imagine. It is not sufficient that 
the finest grains be chosen for this purpose, unless they be likewise very 
clean. Such seed is not difficult to be got from land cultivated according 
to the principles of the new husbandry: but we seldom find corn free from 
the seeds of weeds when it has been raised in the common way. 
It is natural to suppose, that the grains of stunted and sickly corn 
necessarily partake of the weakly disposition of the plant which produced 
them, and that their productions cannot be so fine as those which grow 
from the seeds of strong and healthy plants. For this reason Mr. Tull 
advises to take the seed-corn from a richer soil than that in which it is to 
be sown; and rather from that in perfect tilth, than from land which has 
been less carefully cultivated. Dr. Fordyce seems to be of the same opinion, 
when he says, seeds taken from plants in a rich soil branch out more than 
those taken from plants in a poorer soil. This appears rational: and though 
the contrary opinion is almost generally received, yet more may reasonably 
be expected from the productions of fine good seeds, which are full of 
vigour, and well conditioned, than from poor, feeble, shrivelled seeds. 
For the procurement of good seeds I would advise the following 
methods. 
One method which I have practised with seeds in general, and would 
advise, is as follows. Let a beam, two feet square, be laid across the barn- 
floor. Let the thresher take out of a loosened sheaf of corn an handful, and 
holding the straws at some distance from the ears, give the parcel one or 
two strokes against the beam, when the best grain will fly out only, and 
these will not be bruised, as too often happens from the flail, and the 
remaining corn will be subjected to the usual mode of threshing out for 
domestic uses. 
Another excellent way to separate the fullest, and consequently heaviest 
grains, which are undoubtedly the fittest for seed, from those which are of 
