White Cloud Kansas chief. [volume] (White Cloud, Kan.) 1857-1872, 1857-10-01
for t5t farmer,
Seed Wheat.

Before the 18th of September, most o
the wheat that will yield good crop mex
year will be in the ground, aad the value
OF the crop will depend greatly on III,
character and condition of the seed. Th,
Importance Of this great staple, and tn,
distress resulting from adiminishsd sup.
ply of it, entitle all the aids in its pro
duction to careful study.
SELECT Coon SEED.-1st. Choose {
kind that has succeeded well in soil anG
climate similar to your own. Intelligent
neighbors, who have raised good wheat
can help much in this matter. 1t is MOI
well to try new experiments on . large
scale unless one is prepared to risk con.
siderable loss.
%. Accept only that which is perfectly
ripe and plump. Let no man impose on
you by saying, that smaller kernels will
produce greater number of plants from
a bushel of seed. What is wanted, is q
strong, vigorous growth of wheat plants
This you cannot effect from half grown
or shriveled seed.
Sd. Never sow any but the cleanest seed
You can tell by examining it what it.
condition is. If the seed is good in 9th.
er respects, but is foul, clean it yourself.
But be sure to have it clean at all events.
4th. Reject the seed that has been kept
damp, or has ever besn heated; seed that
has suffered either, or both Of these iniu-
ries, may terminate, but it has lost a
part Of its vitality, and should never be
used for seed, if better can possibly be
obtained.
9th. Do not SOW naizsd seed on the
same ground; let the seed of one sowing
in the same field, be of one kind alone.
You will thus know what kind of wheat
you are growing. and be able to compare
results, with an approach toward accura-
cy. D
9th. If possible. never sow seed which
is more than one year, or a: most, two
years old; old seed may grow well, bat il
may not; prudence will suggest that seed
should be used before it has been exposed
to decay, to insects, to dampness, or to
other injurious agencies. Experience has
taught that some of these are likely to
iRlure the kernel, if it is kept after the
'4tst year.
One way to get good seed is to select
the cleanost and best spot in your wheat
field, where the grain grows most perfect
ly, aud is most mature; then harvest and
thresh these portions separately, with the
greatest care, and save the seed for sow
ing. Pursue this course for number of
years and you will produce what will
seem to be a new variety of wheat, but
it will only be the same, developed and
perfected in higher degree. This oper-
alton for securing good seed. will pay in
every department of farming and gar
dening.
A good mode of preventing smut is
the following: Spread good seed wheat
on the barn floor; upon four bushels of
wheat, dash from twelve to sixteen quarts
OF human urine, stir the whole well to-
gether, then add about six quarts of fresh
Stacked lime, and shovel the wheat over
until the lime is evenly difused through
the wheat. 1t should be sown as soon
after this preparation as practicable, for
a long delay would iniure its negotiating
powers. This mode of treating seed
wheat, is deemed, in England, a specific
against smut; it has been practiced in
America, also, by some wheat growers,
who say it has been uniformly successful.
Tar water will answer instead of urine,
and is preferred by many.
The farmer who will select and pre-
pare his seed wheat according to the
above suggestions, will greatly increase
the chances in favor ofshis having fine
crop nextyear.-Ameriean Agriculturist.