Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1867-11-19
THE HERALD.
Degeneracy of Wheat,


ating rather than our wheat lands,
and made some suggestions in regard
to improving the seed. We have al
80 advised the trial of new varieties,
and the procuring Of seed from dis
tant localities. The Introduction of
new varieties, however, is attended
with a danger that we have pot
pointed out. Different varieties of
wheat will very readily by bridize if
sown in close proximity, and this is
said to be attended with deterioated
quality and yield Hence, in all cx>
periments, special care should be ex>
ercsed to keep them entirely sepa
rate. in the field and in the threshng,
and when a satisfactory variety is
found. it is better to raise that one
variety alone on the same farm.
S. E. Todd, who is pretty good au-
thority on such subjects, gives us, in
the New York Times, the following
observations on the degeneracy Of
whest from hybridizing. The sub
iect is one of vital Importance to the
West. and our farmers should give
good heed to all the light they can
obtain in relation to it. The obser-
vations of Mr. Todd do not detract
from the Importance of specia- culti-
walton and cleaning of seed wheat
which we urged in the article aIlud>
Ell To, but the two should be c0nSiI-
cred together;
'On the borders Of the river Nile.
in Africa, one OF the finest regions
in the world for the production Of ex
cellent wheat, the same varieties are
grown every year, without dete
riorGlion, that were cultivated three
thousand years ago. And the same
thing may be done in this country
by exercising the eame care in selec-
ton of the seed that is observed by
the farmers IN that part of the world.
Ii il q we'll established fact that
wheat will hybridize when different
varieties are allowed to grow in close
proximity. OF course, the product
would be mixture of seed, in which
the purity of the variety is gone
Consequently, with a mixture OF seed,
a farmer would find himself in the
same circumstances with reference 10
the Improvement of his wheat that
he is when he undertakes to improve
his domestic animals by breading
from mongrels or from grade stock.
1t is we'll understood that such ami
mals--grades and mongrels-when
employed as breeders never trans
nit the excellent points of desirable
form and symmetry to their offspring
with reliable certainty, while pure
bred animals never fail in this respect.
The same facts hold good in the
vegetable kingdom, with seed wheat
in particular. When different varie>
ties arc sown in close proximity, and
the pf0duct which will be an impure
grain, Is again employed for seed, a
pure variety, IF choice wheat may
be run out most offectually in few
years. so that intelligent farmers who
were on y superficial observers would
be ready to affirm without any hesi>
fancy, that wheat does degenerate
The cause Of degeneracy, and the
remedy, may all be expressed in a
few words We have hinted at the
cause namely sowing different kinds
near each other, so that grain will
hybridize threshirg different kinds
together, from year to year. Herein
lies the whole secret OF the tegener>
acy OF varieties. If pure variety
be kept by itself with suitable care,
and cultivated on good ground, and
the grain never threshed with other
kinds of wheat, the purity and vario
ty of wheat with all it's excellent
characteristics, may be maintained
intact as long as wheat may be cul,
tivated. There is no uncertainty
about this suggestion The idea is
in perfect keeping with established
laws of veetable ply siology. Cultva.
ting any kind of grain in slip~shod,
slack and purtunctory manner, will
cause the best variety OF wheat the
world ever knew to degenerate and
run completely out in few years.
On the contrary, if the seed be select
ed every season with the same care
that that TIE originator OF the Weeks
wheat Observed for decade Of wears.
generations unborn would cultivate
the same varieties that our fields no W
produce, without The least deteriora
ton IN either yield or quality of grain
Wisconsin, FlTmer.
DaS-At the recent agricultural fair
heId a Egg Har0or City. y. J. there
was very curious exemphdcation
of the affection Of . young dog of the
spaniel species Il seems that on
the farm Of Nj. L. BulInger, an old
hen, shortly after Matching out a
number of bantam and guinea chick
ems, died, leaving the young brood
without maternal care and likely 10
perish. a puppy dog, also belonging
TO MIR. b., was lying asleep not far
distant from the tender little chick
ems, and one after another they nest
led around him, and by the warmth
of his body were kept alive 1t seems
ed as though the canine rather liked
the company, and knew the wants
of the motherless chickens. He
CURED himself up so as to afford them
protection, and from that time he
never forsook them. He watched
over them by day scratched the gray :
el and sand for the little ones until
they became big enough to relieve
him from this seltiimposed duty
The dog and the chickens were ex-
hibited in cage at the fair. whore
thousands of visitors saw them. The
chickens were now about half grown,
and ii was amusing to watch their