The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1843-10-17
RTFs.EL ECONT1.W
IMPROVEMENT OF CORN, WHEAT, &c.


IMPROVEMENT OF CORN. WHEAT, &c.
To the Editor u The american Farmer
| had the. pleasure few days ago, of
showing you couple Of stalks Of corn, each
containing seren perfect ears. They were
taken from field OF % acres, on the lands
OF General 4. NJ. Forward, of Cecil coun
ty, Md. and fair sample OF the crop. Gen.
Fofman informed me that be had many
years ago adopted the plan Of selecting bis
seed corn, always taking il from the stalks
that have the Creates! humber of peHec,
ears; and that by continuing this practice
he has brought his COIN TO The high quail
ty represented by the specimens alluded 10.
This has been unlioI my he resnlt with all
who have perse9eIngly prac,iced 1t The
first, believe, TO do SO, Vas Mr.. Cooper Of
New Jersey, forty or fifty years since; then
the Mary land twin cotu was produced by
some one on the Eastern Shore; then the
Baden corn was announced, and the Mercer
corn, also; all were produced in the same
way. Gen. Forman intends TO measure an
acre, which shall be fair sample Of the
whole field, and let US know the quantity Of
shelled corn it shalt have produced this
will enable our farmers TO compare the pro.
duct Of this corn with that Of the common
kinds.
A word or two Oh the utility Of attending
TO such things by gu. farmers. The won
DER is that every body does not do it, and
the only reason can suggest for It's not be.
ing doue, is, that people are not generally
aware, that all kinds of plants may be i'm.
proved by careful attention to breeding, Just
as much as animals are. There are al this
day very few farmers SO ignoran, as not TO
know that their horses, cattle, sheep and
hogs, are wonderfully improved by judi
cious selection OF breeders. \ GU ill scarce
ly find farmer now that does not improve
his stock by this means. need DOT enlarge
on this fact. But where are they that I'M.
prove there corn and wheat and rye and
oats, in the sans way They are only found
here and there, and SO seldom, that they are
considered prodigies. Every body almost,
when he wants an improved article of this
kind, purchases some celebrated kind for
a trial, which. may or may not be what is
represented, or may or may not suit his soil
or his climate; but never thinks of lmproy.
ing what he has already got No one ever
thinks Of crossing the breed Of his corn,
wheat, rye, or oats, and thus improving
them; and very few even take the trouble
Of selecting the best of that which they
have for seed. Let me assure the farmers
that they can improve their corn and all o
Their crops by cross breeding, just as easily
as they can heir ANIMALS. They can change
the size and color of the cob make the corn
early or late, yellow or white, soft or tlinty !
all BY cross breeding, with 10 cos. and We.
ry little trouble.
Generally, all that is done to improve our
crops is by manuring the land aud cultiva
ting the growing plants. Now for a mo-
men, let US see how ii would do in improv
ing animals, merely TO feed them well and !
give them good slabling, paying no a,ten.
ton at all 10 the selection of breeders. All /
will admit that stock raised and kept IN this
way will soon "run out" no matter how
good it may have been at the beginning
Well, what is high feeding of stock but
to high manuring of land The
one feeds the cattle, the other feeds the .
crops; neither does any thing more than
supply the wants of the individual animal
or plant. 1t does not and cannot change
the character or quality of It's progeny
When feeding, either Of plants or animals,
does all it can, il does no more than simply
keep the individuals as they we're, IN refer.
ence to their nature, generally produces
a good crop, or fat animal, and that is all.
"Bui," | anticipate ! shall be asked,
q how are we to improve our corn, wheat,
&C., by cross breeding z"
Wheat, rye and oats may all be treated
llIke-and the process given for one, will
answer for all. Take several good kinds
Of wheat, bald headed and bearded, blue
stem, purple stem, red and white, five or six
kinds IN all ; mix them together thorough.
v, and SOW the parcel ID some good ground
1t a considerable distance from any other
wheat field. At harvest time go into the
ield and select the best heads, those that
ire largest, best filled, and that contain the
,est grains, on the shortest and most robust
stalks, and keep the seed for another years
sowing The next year a, harvest make
no same selection for seed. Continue this
selection for two or three years, and then
,ou viii find you will have wonderful i'm
proved variety OF wheat. But to keep the
quality Of this new wheat up 10 lis standard,
md even TO continue the Improvement, you :
'ught always to select quantity for the a
ucceeding years sowing in the same way. c
This is not as troublesome as at first sight
, appears TO be. A half bushel or
,ushel of seed wheat may easily be selected I
n this way in few hours-hours that pos. /
IDLY might not have been devoted to as ;
profitable employment.
The cross breeding of corn requires i
iltle more trouble. You have an excel U
ont kind of corn, but it is late in matur i
Al Ill | y