Spirit of the times. [volume] (Ironton, Ohio) 1853-1858, 1853-02-01

even though all the seed sown were
shrivolled, (as was the case in ls4o,) or
sown on the top Of tho ground, or inju'
red by a severe winter, or pastured off in
the spring-all Of them supposed to con-
tribute to this result. will state some
Of tho facts which produced in me such
q conviction Of the truth Of the above
opinion, that conc lusivc testimony alone
could change it.
It is now fifteen years since my faith.
or determined to raise wheat alone, in.
stead Of wheat, rye, chess, and even
cookie, as he and his neighbor had been
doing. Tho rye, being taller than the
wheat, was easily destroyed by cutting
il out before harvest, and the cookie
was likewise soon overcome. As to
destroying the chess, the ncighbors
laughed at him, saying that the first
hard winter would again change the
wheat 10 chess, and his labor would all
be lost. Nevertheless, he undertook
the experiment. was then a youth at
home. We picked tho seed carefully,
head by head. Lest single grain might
have got into ii, we run it two or three
times through tanning mill contain.
ing good screen, each time entirely
separating the screenings from the seed.
We then sowci it on the cleanest
ground that We had. We went through
similar process the two succeeding
years. Whenever a head or grain Of
chess was found in harvesting; thrcsh.
ing, or winnowing the wheat, it was
carefully pocketed, carried to FIRE,
and burned. By this time it was al.
most perfectly clear Of the noxious weed
and would have been entirely so, have
no doubt, had there been none Of the
seed in the ground. After this, it was
only nece cessary to screen the seed well
in order 10 secure at harvest a crop Of
almost pure wheat. Several years have
passed since then, and think may
safely say that not a grain Of wheat has
changed to chess on that farm although
it has been exposed to all the casualties
that are commonly supposed TO produce
the change. 1t matters not what field
has been s,wn, what the circumstances
Of sowing, what the character Of the
winter may have been, what causalities
laay have bcfal)cn it.-such as cattle
pasturing it, or fly eating 1.-THE result
has been invariably the same; as far as
chess was concerned, almost entire
freedom from it. Our neighbors, seeing
the success Of the experiment, have
adopted similar practice, and with
like result; so that the opinion, once
has now but few advoc atcs
among them, or in the adjoining counties.
have detailed this experiment at con.
siderable length, not merely for the pur.
pose Of disproving what | conceive to
'e an erroneous opinion. but for .ha
beneficial effectts disproof would have
IN careless farmers. Many who now
aise from three to ten bushels Of chess
o the acre would, if,hey did not believe
his Pernicious doctrine, soon raise as
much wheat in its stead. 1t will take
ONE time, as we'll as labor, to rid old
arms Of this Improbable weed. But
hrce years will more than repay both
n the larger yield Of wheat and the bet.
,r quality ofAour.
Besides the facts which | have given,
will say few words by way of argu.
lent Of the question. The theory is
ontrary to nature. We do not find ,
lat other plants change. Then why
hould this? Different species of the
nme plant intermix; but the secl of one
liant does not produce another distinct 4
nd altogether different from it's pa.
INT plant. 1t is just as reasonable to
lpposc that chess will change into 7
'heat;yet we never hear Of such change i
S that. If there are changes why are I
ICY not mutual? Because the laws Of
iod forbid it, which laws are written,
OF only in the book Of Revelations,
'hich speaks thus: "The herb shall
car seed after its kind, and the fruit \
zee after its kind" Again: "Do men ]
othcr grapes of thorns or figs Of this.
es" And again: "a good tree can.
OF bring forth evil fruit; neither can {
orrupt tree bring forth good fuit;" or ,
} change the terms, wheat cannot bring d
nth chess; neither can chess bring
,rth wheat. \
Chess often grows in meadows, from \
hich it has been supposed by some,
lat timothy will also change. The 7
1e change is just as likely to take ]
lace as the other; but is it not most
range, apart from all other considera. d
ons, that two plants, so different as J