Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1829-09-17
From The agricultural Reader
ON TIE CuLILKE OLE WHEAT.

ON The CULTURE OF WHEAT.
Uheat has iWo sets Of R0ots.-There are other
reasons Why wheat should flourish better. were
II buried deeper Than II generally is, in addition
10 those alresoy suggested. "A gram OF wheat,
when put inlo tue ground al the depth oil ,hree
inches, unde' goes the following transformations:
A. soon as the tarInaceous matter, which pnye-
lapcs the frame OF The young plant conta med
" I in i, is softened in the milky state, a germ is
rsbtd out, aud at tue bottom ot that germ
smsli roots soon follow. The roots are gather.
ing strength. whist the germ, by the aid of the
milky fluid is shooting upwards aud when the
milk IS exhausted, the roots are in activity and
are collecting nourishnent for the p.anl from
he soil itself.
= THIS is analogous TO the wearing of the
young OF animals, which are Sever abandoned
- THEN mother ill they can provide Tor them
selves. But the care Of nature does not end
mere. Wkrn the germ has fairly got above the
surface, and become a plant, a set OF upper roofs
ara thrown oui, close 10 the surlaCe of the
ground, which search all the superficial paris
of the sell with the same activity as the under
roots search The lower parts aud that part of
he germ which separates the two sets OF roots.
is now become a channel through which the
lower roots supply the plant with the nourlsh.
meni they have collected.
What an admirable contrivance 10 secure
he prosperity of the plant Two distinct sets
ofrools serve in the first place 10 Fix the plants
firmly in The ground, and 10 collect nourishment
that comes naturally from the atmosphere, OF
artiicially as manure 10 the surface aud they
serve the further purpose Of being the base OF
new stems, which are titled up, aud so general
ly increase the productiveness Of the plant
From these facts, il is evident that when the
grains of wheat lie near the surface, as they
mostly do when covered with the harrow only,
these two sets of roots are necessarily crowded
together, so as almost 10 become indlsilpct /:
| they go out together to collect their food from
/, the saIne pasture, IL we may Su express IT, and
the plant cannot be supposed to be so well nour-
| ished as when the lower sci of roots is deposit
| ed al The depth of three or four inches in the
soil.
1t further follows from these facts. that wheat
for sowing, should always be good of its kind.
:. II is not possible that a shrivelled kernel will
send IN as vigorous stalks as a full kernel. In
| the first stages of its growth, the stalk depends
on lis parent seed. Ii that be full OF nutri-
ment. il will send out strong roofs and a large
blade
Preparalion ofihe Ssed.-If the Wheat be i'm
pure or diseased, ii should be cleansed aud PIE.
pared. Many noxious seeds are Of a different
magnitude from the wheat, and may be sepsra-
ted by a sieve. Many are light, and will rise
in water. These, when the wheat is immersed
will float upon the water, and may be SKINNED
of. The practice of sieeping wheat is useful,
because, by this means, il may be brought for
ward earlier. While the field is preparing by
cultivation and by the warmth of the sun, the
yegetative powers of the seed may be excited
aud il will come up nearly a week sooner than
if il had been put dry into the ground.
But il Instead of water, lye, bryoe. a solution
of saltuetre or urine be used, the benefit will be
greatly decreased. These substances impreg.
nate the kernel with nourishment adapted to
the growth of the plant, which in its lnianlile
state may be benefited by artificial assist
ance.
Orifthere be any latent cause of disease IL
its product, the substances applied sometimes
remedy the evil. The offensive qualities giver
% the seed BY the aforesaid method, prevent
worms from feeding upon it in the ground
tWhen the lime OF sowing, arrives tie pickle
should be poured of. and newly slacisd linn