Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1851-04-30
The Farmer.
From the Maine Farmer.
Queries respecting Banner Wheat"

From the Maine Farmer.
Queries respecting Banner Wheat"
DIR. HOLMES For several years past,
much has been said in the Gospel Banner,
by its editor Mr.. Drew, in relation to what
he calls the Banner Wheat" Among our
agricultural friends, in different parts of
the State there seems to be some disagree
ment as to its origin. l have taken pains,
recently, to examine the files Of the Banner,
with the expectation of being enlightened
upon this point, but the result has been to
render the matter still more obscure. In
that paper, dated June Is, 1916, l find
the following paragraph:
"Winter Wheat.-We have the Kloss
winter wheat now nearly up to mans
arm-pits, and on the point Of healing out
We received it originally from the Patent
Office at Washington, and have raised it
for the last two years, it has stood our win
ter better than grass. 1t is the largest and
handsomest grain we ever saw"
In the Banner of subsequent date,
(Aug %, 1885, find the following ex-
tract, by which it will be seen that the
"Kloss" wheat underwent change of
name, and became the " Banner" wheat:
owe call it the Banner Wheat, for two
reasons first, because We are sure there
is nothing in this country equal to it in
the shape of winter wheat, for hardness,
productiveness, and its competency to
make wheat -four, (the grain is light col
ored, and weighs 60 lbs. per bushel y and
secondly, because it is grain introduced
by US, (the Editor of the Banner) and has
its origin in the thimblefull We have raised
it from"
In the Banner of March II, 1851, the
following statement, in relation to the
origin of the Banner wheat" may be
found:
"Banner Wheat. far as the winter
is concerned, our Banner wheat has had a
fair chance. There are
some thousand acres Of it, now, in a good
state, on the farms of the Kennebec Val.
ley. We originally introduced it from
the Baltic Sea, in Europe"
from this statement it would seem that
the Kloss wheat" which Mr.. Drew OBJ
tanned from the Patent Office, and the
"Banner wheat" which be introduced
from the Baltic Sea-" are different ar
ticle But by the following, from the
Gospel Banner, of March 30, 1851, it
would seem that they are ONE AND THE
SAME:
cage of the Banner Wheat-The first
Banner wheat-about table spoonful
which was ever raised in this State, we
sowed in a garden bed, Sept. 1874, 1t
has, therefore, had seven years sowing
amongst us-has proved hardy and prolific,
&c'
By comparing the above statement with
the one before given from the Banner of
June 13, 1s46, it will be seen that the
Kloss" wheat and the " Banner wheat
were introduced into the State at the same
period, and l have always supposed them
to be one and the same the seed of which
was obtained " from the Patent Office"
am inclined to think that the new ac-
count of the introduction of the Banner
wheat" from the Baltic Sea-" is little
attempt at humbug, and has been started
to create the impression that the Editor Of
the Banner is great benefactor.
1t is said that the " Kloss" or "Ban-
ner" wheat is grown to large extent in
the western part of the State, in York and
Oxford counties, where it was introduced
by Hon. Rufus McIntire, of Parsonield,
who received package from the Patent
Office at the same time that Mr.. Drew re-
ceived his spoonful " from the Baltic Sea-"
If SO, is not that worthy, though modest
friend of our agricultural interests, entitled
to a small share of the honor which seems
to be monopolized by another-and as
public benefaetor, is he not entitled to a
township of land from the State, or to re-
ceive VS. into his "porringer"-if he
should see fit to hold it oat-as anybody
else?
Now, DR.. Holmes, if you can afford the
time and room, will you do justice in this
matter, by giving the facts as to the origin
Of this Banner Wheat" and inform US
who is entitled to the credit of its intro
duction into the State-and at the same
time, let US know if the "Kloss" wheat
and " Banner" are different articles, hav-
inV their oripin in different countries ?