, 1861-08-08
Agkiculiuts.
Marvels Of the wheat Plant


Iron has been held by some to be the true
symbol Of civilization, because nations pro-
duce and use it in proportion to their social
and industrial advancement. Asimilar claim
has been made for cotton, but by the task.
master only. But the wheat plant is the true
symbol. Civilization began when its cul.i'
walton commenced. No savage nations cul.
tivAte it The American aborigines had no
knowledge Of il, and they quickly remarked
the difference between themselves and the
English, saying that the latter lived on seeds
while they lived on flesh that the flesh ha !
four legs on which TO escspe, while they had
but two with which to pursue it, and that
the seedgrowers woGid supersede the flesh
eaters. Wherever wheat is cultivated, the
nations abandon barbarism. Mechanism
was invoked, even many centuries ago, 10
promote, by rude contrivances, both tillage
and cleaning. The inventor Of the sickle is
unknown, but the pioneers Of Dutch com.
merce In China there discovered the winnow.
ing mill, which Is now Q fixture in every
American barn. The wheat plant has long
been perhaps the greatest power in the earth.
Il was the acknowledged staff Of life when
the steam engine was unknown, before sin.
gle coal mine had been opened, or the mira
culous capacities Of iron had been ascertained.
Il has been the great power from which hu.
man eiiurt, in all Countries, has derived its
mightiest momentum. Il has built turn.
pixies and railroads, dug canals, founded cities,
covered rivers with steamboats, and the
ocean with ships. Millions Of human beings
depend upon e for existence, both as grow
efs aud consumers. Danish il fromthe earth,
and it would be vain to seek for q substi.
tuta. Our teeming West would stop sud
denly shOrt in its wonderful career Of great
mes. Agriculture everywhere would pause.
scarcity be universal, and the fact be recog.
iizei that the wheat plant Is the corner stone
of civilization.
The Oldest history mentions the cultiva
ton Of wheat But the plant has at no ti.ae,
nor in any place, been found growing wild.
Neither Is the country Of its origin certainly
known. On this point we obtain light
enough from history and botany to Justify
the conjecture that its native place Is Persia,
and also India. But 'en on this point there
aro different opinions entertained by able
vriiera Il h certainly not indigenous to
America. IN 1880, slave Of Cortez found
some grains which had been accidentally
MIXED with rice, and having carefully planted
them and their product for several years, he
raised . stock of seed from which oil the
subsequent uhet crops Of Mexico have
been derived. Ths controversy touching
The origin Of wheat has been most animated
and voluminous In Sicily wild grass is
sound called by botanisis EgiIops opata,
which some have contended 70 be the true
parent Of wheat. Il Is hard, rough Iooks
ing grass, which Is sometimes gathered in
hunchol and burnk and the seeds used for
food.
Il 4 slso found IL various other places,
M shole are several species Of IL Il was
eini1ndcd that by careful cultivation the
EgiIops could be transformed into wheat
This was as vehemsntly denied. Il was
known, however, that, under certain circum-
stances, plants very nearly resembling wheat
hnd been produced from two perfectly dis
tinci species Of Egilops. and the presumP-
zion obtained that these were the wild re-
pIosenlailscs Of cultivated grain, and that
therefore wheat Is nothing more than Egi-
lops, modified BY The influence Of soil, eli
mate and superior cultivation.
While Ibis point was YET nlooted BY the
bollnIlia. On experiment was going on, un-
known 70 them, Instituted by one who had
never heard Of their investigations, their die
coteriol or their disagreemenls, and who
lutu but little Of botanical science. Its re-
suits have bad an important influence in de.
tcruI1ln1 he question at Issue. Ia 1888
french gardener, Esprit Fabre, found the
Egllops osaia growing wild in the neighbor-
hood Of his residences q Adge. In tho au-
l.nn Of that year be soWed the seed, and in
1850 ihs plants grew from 2 70 81 feet high,
riplncd 1nd yielded an increase Of only eve
fold.
This increase was agnin sowed, and in
1910 he crop bore striking resemblance
70 grnuino wheat Il was sowed that fall,
and n 1871 he prcdugt was q crop Of ears
more closely ressmblingtrue wheafs Great
and Important changes were Observable In
he grains of this third crop. There was no
longer any barren spikelets, while al Of
thcm were IN every respect like wheat each
one bearing two or three perfectly developed
graina Ihele we're sowed, but in le42 the
crop vas almost entirely destroyed by rust
Ihl itu grains saved were sowed, and in
1913 lho plants grew three feet high, the
straw being 6rmer than before and less brit.
llc. The ears we've less fragile, and resem.
hIod wheat exactly. One grain yielded $50
grains or one souu, and smother 450
Planted again, and IN 1874 al the spikeleis
were flrliIe, and many Of them contained
lhros grains. In lol5, IN uhoexamiled tho
crop aiindged Il to Be true wheat. N. Fa
bl1 20 regarded Il himself and in le45 he
1oucd he grain IN an open feld, and for
four snccesding years continued 20 produce
Il viii equal suooasa, he yield being 70 9
TINES he sesd s0Wn. The stems were
rlr.|.Il. erI11 and we're 40 inehas hiok