, 1841-08-21
l..
ON THE CULTURE OF WHEAT.

There is good reason to believe that the
export from Lake Erie of this great Yves
tern staple will not fall below ten million Of
bushels during the present season. Any inn
improvement in the production OF an artl-
Gle of such immense Importance to the COM
merce Of Buffalo and TO all classes who de-
sire an abundance Of good cheap bread,
cannot fail to interest our readers. Hence
no apology is necessary for devoting con-
siderable space in our columns to detailing
the practical results Of careful experiments
made in Great Britain with view to cheaper
the expenses of culture, and augment both
the quantity and quality of wheat grown on
an acre in the highest degree.
Colonel LIE CoUrEuR, Of the Island Of Jer-
sey, has recently made some important dis
c~overies in the propagation OF wheat plants,
their adoption TO peculiar soils both natural
and artificial, and, in the whole process, OF
obtaining the greatest amount Of the best
-four at the least expense Of land labor
From some strange oversight, his valuable
work upon "wheat," and his "Essay on pure
and improved Varieties of Wheat lately in
troduced into England" which received a
prize Of twenty sovereig ns, have not been
republished in this country. And we are in
debted 10 Mr.. lie Cras, lately a resident OF
the Island Of Jersey, for the perusal of these
works, and the privilege Of making an alb
stract Of such portions as we deem of most
service to the wheat-growers Of the United
States.
Mr.. LIE C0uteur has succeeded in produ.
cling, by crossing the different kinds Of wheat
formerly cultivated, cver $50 varieties and
sub-varielies Of this grain. He commenced
his experiments some six years ago by Sc
lecting a few Of the best heads Of wheat
cultivated in England. The kernels in these
heads were all carefully counted and planted
in separate parcels, and treated alike in eve
ry prospects as to soil and culture. The result
demonstrated an astounding difference both
in the productiveness and quality Of these
several varieties Of wheat. No kernels were
counted except such as grew, and the expe.
rement was most satisfactorily producted in
every respect. Sixty-one grains of white
,Dantzic gave 3 lbs. 8 OF. Of wheat, and 3lbs
8 OF. Of straw; whereas 50 grains of what
had been regarded as a choice variety Of red
wheat gave only ID. 10 OF. Of wheat, and
9lbs. 5 o.. Of straw. No. 8, a downy va.
riety Of white wheat, gave 4 lbs. 4 or. o.
wheat, and 3 lbs. 5 OF. of straw, from St
grains. The experienced wheat-grower in
this country would be rejoiced to cultivate a
variety Of wheat which would yield him 6
good crop Of straw bearing an amount o
Of grain one-third larger in weight than the
straw itself. And yet this was obtained a
the first experiment, as stated above.
The author selected five or six varieties o
these fourteen several parcels and cultivated
some OF them at great pains in their purs
state, while he commenced a judicious sys
TEN of crossing with others, tor the purpose
Of producing new varieties superior to any
of them. In this he wal successful. Tt
prevent mistake and undesirable mixing o
different varieties Of wheat when in blossom
one pistil on a head was carefully removed
This pntil was fructifed by the selected pol
len, and only one kernel was produced
which, when planted, sometimes welded !,
600 kernels Of the new variety. By pursuin,
this course series Of years, and culiivatinI
his seed wheat BY itself, and portraiting from