The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1855-10-10
Seeding Of Wheat.-Tmportanee Of Good
Seed.

Seeding Of Wheat t-Importanee of Good
Seed.
As every farmer is now engaged in prepar-
ing his ground for wheat, though probably
very few have commenced seeding, it may
not be amiss to add something to the remarks
We lately submitted on this subject--and es.
pecially to urge the necessity Of a careful at
ientinn to the selection of seed This atten-
tion, at all times important, is particularly
so the present season-for owing to the great
amount Of rain thathas fallen while the wheat
was get in the field, a very large proportion of
the grain has been wet, or heated, or sprOntpd.
or otherwise injured. As a general rlle, the
farmer should select the best aud most per-
feet portion Of his crop for seed, and cleanse
il uf every impurity. II strict attentioa was
/ paid from year TO year TO this matter, we hare
! not the least dnubt that the farmer, from this
cause alone, would. after series nl years, de-
rive an increased product Of several bushels
| per acre. A long time ago, as we have often
heard il stated, when the "old white May"
vas tie la,orite wheat 10 Virginia, the man
ager at the /" Maiden's Adventure" farm iE
PoMha,an annually selected from his fields,
when ripe, the best aud earliest heads sutti-
cient 10 yield bushel Of seed. This he care
| fully soaed on suitable sol, aud the third
year il produced him seed enough 10 SOW his
entire crop. lie had the reputation Of rails.
! ing the best crops on tie ri,er-and farmers,
from both far and near, renewed their seed
from his stock. All who knew the white
Ma,, aud bad ems experience III the hour
manufactured lrum IL, remember that II was
the most beautiful gram, and that It made the
best bread of any wheat ever grown IN Vir-
glnia. But neglect. ii preserving is purity,
had the effect after 20 long time, ol causing
degenera,y and nov tie variety has proba.
: bly become entirely extinct. The same has
: happened 10 many other varieties, though 0.
less note, with which We were acquainted ~
cur early days they became constitution
), alls feeble and the fields which produced
such abundant crops for few years alter
their introduction, ceasei to repay the labor
iol CultiyatiOn, until anew variety was obtain
ed, which ia il, turn was all the vogue Tor .
while, until il finally shared the lale Of 1t,
predecessors. Every farmer whose memory
runneth back TO period not more remote
than thirty or thirty live years ago, can re.
call great number Of varieties which had
their run, and were eagerly sought after lUi
a few years, when they were superseded by
some other novelty. Only one kind, as laI
as our memory serves u, nhnse origin may
be traced to oanytlng ike distant Jay, no"
remains amongst the standard wheats oi VIZ,
: ginia-and lis continued produciiyeness ma,
br ascrbed ipOre 10 its constitutional aiapta
ton TO nur soil and climate than TO any pains
that ha. been taken IL preserve IFS purity.
retains it, individuality more perfectly thar
any other wheat We have known; othermis,
IL would long ago have been numbered viii
the things that were. Amun.st other proof
uf It's in,ariablcness, nc iind that 70 this ,lal
il i more liable 10 smut than any other ,arie
lty. Another iaynrite kind, which has main
tanned its popularity Cor eight or ten years, i
: the " Woodfn," which derives lis cpgnpmeI
rum our cxceIlent friend George Woudfin
ur Richmond, whD recci,eda small packag
i Of the seed from The Patent Office some flteei
wears agu. It's origin was irnin a single ear
discovered IN the rid Oi Pennsylvania far
ner, which attracted his notice from its stii ik
: ing appearance 50 we have been lately in
formed ~ Mr.. Huodhn himself, who concur
with rs IN the opinion that this ,alnablea,a a
= flGIN ilIN NltAulN tsht WI
less solne eiiult is made to ore. produce Il lrur
d caielal selection of the best ears, and there
by obtaining an entirely new stock, il wi
not be long before il loses its distlnctis
: qualities.
All this may appear TO many farmers as
matter uf very little moment, but we regar
il as one OF very great Importance, and jus
az necessary fnr tile pcrpctultion Of any giS
!, en- variety VI wheat, a. similar degree ,
!. care III reference 10 any other production 1
J. the farm, whether vegetable or animal. |
e the case Of corn. tie farmer always select
J the best ears, and even rejects puttinn I
: : them. Tie seed &c tobacco Is sa,ed with III
# utmust care. aud the plants subjected 70
e particular treatment, and why should .hea
.. lurm any exception to the general rule
Y There is perhaps no grain IN the wuril "a.
!. has been brought to d condition 80 nearly ~
:. ;ifes. irson0rh iIiat the majority ul lariner,
/. aud nut frw iaeu IL tie highest sclcniili
!. attainmeiis, yield their creilence to The dos
y irine u talismutatiun.
This is nui the seasun 20 discuss this sui
ject 10 it, fullest extent; but what we hay
urged may serve to impress upon the mind
Of farmers the advantage aud necessity or IL
= ing all that j. now practicable. As 4 gcnt
raj rule, wheat that has been grown on hig
dry land. shpuld be sclcctr, for seed. Ava
), that in which there has been dspruporiinn
u ate growth ~ straw 1.-THE straw is delicici
ig III any of the constituents which should eu
:. ter into its formation. the grain. though
may be to al appearance plump aud hant
= some article. wil lasa some 1I tie element