The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1853-04-20

MR. BBowN Il venture to send yeu a few
thoughts on the subject of fcld seeds. And
as the time app reaches when farmers have oc-
casion to use them, trust that these thoughts
| > deemed We "a place on your pages AT
| az, Will not 'r accounted unreasonable.
| Many IA 1re atalsing to the impor-
| lance of seek .ng line otsi Kind Of stock. and
| thr best quaiil9 ot felI seeds Bur do not
iecolicc' q. hafe Seen caution offered on
T'u. pac with sufficient cxbhci.ncss. a
.lnst allowing foul se.i OF any sort TO be
| mingled with ihc srt4 ae usr
| 40 man ncads ID be- informed hat soil pre-
occupied with weeds cannot very largely Weld
useful produce. Every intelligent farmer
knows, though too many are very remiss in
improving their knowledge, that if he would
secure good yield of either grass or grain,
the strength of the soil must be reserved for
| it.
The farmer who sows foul seed in his fields.
commits an error which in the end must cost
MN dear lie may use an Indifferent bull or
| horse, or buck, and suffer only temporary in
Jury, because hc can rid himself of his worth
less stock, and thus end his loss. Not so when
he sows foul seed. His loss but begins with
his error. He introduces an enemy into his
enclosures,to which he must either surrender
-t discretion, or maintain at endless labor and
eAPeHse,a a warfare always exhaustng and
so:y '~tile, because not waged with suf-
hoioh' energy ana thnrOughness. He entails
'oo' upon posterity, curse of inestimable
magnitude. " ''''o'e
Do not dealers in agricultural seeds orcn
contribute TO the evil in question sometimes
inadvertently, but as often, perhans' for tbc
sake of the profit they secure OF the oc-
currence of the following fact | am assured
some two Years since, gentleman of this
community wishing to obtain some "imported
spring wheat, and some spring rye, wrote TO
friend IN your city TO ascertain whether he
could procure it for him perfectly clear. The
friend replied that he had the assurance of a
dealer whom he had consulted, that he would
furnish both the kinds of seed sought. in the
condition specified. few bushels were ac
cordingly ordered, and with the bill transmit
ted, there was printed assurance that the
mouse dealt in no seeds but those of the best
quality and in perfect condition Great was
the purchasers surprise, therefore, when ON
opening the casks, his attention was attracted
not by the beauty Of the grain, but by the
variety OF foul matter it contained. IIappily
Tor MN his neighbors had engaged most of
tue Nheat before its arrival so that he had but
u single bushel remaining This he attemp-
teu 10 clean with screens, but failed because
part of the foul seed was larger than the
gram. He was compelled, therefore, either
10 iorego the sowing Of the seed, or with il TO
SOW That which would be ruinous TO his land.
or to clean it by picking It carefully over by
mana The latter course he adopted, looking |
over spoonful at II time, and il is hardly |
credible, though strictly true, that besides n |
liberal sprinkling of rye and barley, he found |
no less than fourteen different kinds of foul |
seeds, amounting in the whole to about three |
quarts. This too was imported foul seed, as |
though our farmers have not already indi-
sen0us weeds enough TO contend with
The case Of the rye was not mach better
u could not be cleaned By screening, and il
was not worth picking over So the purchas-
y oAs led il 10 The mill and had il ground for
ll9 swine. 10 a word of remonstrance sent
~ me pu.o laser TO the dealer, the latter re-
pned That he sold as clean seed as others
ssoid' OF the same Importation" To the rye
he made no allusion.
NOW Mr.. Editor hold that Important as
lne introduction OF certain grains may be 10
our ~ country their usefulness can never eaual
me mischief done by the simultaneous intro
iucuon Of dozen kinds of foul seed. TO be-
'ome, by unavoidable dissemination. n nest
hrough the land. Who will pretend TO esti.
nate the mischief of a siugle importation OIL
ram IN the condition of that above specified
no can tell the amount of the evil z Would
iot any quantity Of seed, in such condition.
&c dear gu to the country, since some of
would Of course be sowed by careless far