Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1868-05-22
farm aud AnMse1old.
About Seeds.

EVERY experienced farmer and gardener
understands the value of good seeds-good
in every respect. They know that seed
produced from an unhealthy plant is less
valuable than that from one that IS per
fectly healthy, and the careful cultivation
is particular to save seed from the best
specimens. J.
Our cultivated plants are mostly de-
rived from plants which originally grew
in a wild state, and by careful culture ana
selection. have been brought from much
less valuable state than they are at present
in. 1t is understood as principle, by
enlightened culturists, that where a yege-
table or plant has been brought from
lower to higher state, there is con-
slant tendency or liability to return to
their original condition, unless care be
used to keep what has been gained, or
improve thereon. The only way of pre-
venting this deterioration is in good cult
walton, selection and rotation, OF change
of locality With all our present knowl-
edge and improved culture, there are some
plants which gradually lose their good
qualities, or show constant tendency 70
crop back. Such are measurably remcdled
by change of locality and special care. IL
plant be removed from its natural SOIL
and climate, this deterioration is apt to DC
much more rapid Seeds, in general, pro-
duce better where the change is from a
colder tosa warmer climate, and from
poorer to a richer soil. Where there is
not this sensibility to soil and climate, good
cultivation and iudicious selection from
the most vigorous and best plants and
specimens when they are fully ripe, dry
ing them, and properly storing where they
will not be Liable to too great heat or
gather dampness, will, instead of deterior-
ating, improve their qualities; and the
farmer who thus saves and preserves his
own seed, knows what he plants-he III
PRODUCES no foreign seed of weeds to cause
him future trouble in cultivation.
1t is O fact well known, but less ire
ouently acted upon, that different varieties
of the same species or families are liable
to mix or hybridize, if grown near each
other, and the varieties blossom at the
same time; the winds often bear the pollen
from one to the other Bees and insects
also act as agents in distributing pollen
and fertilizing plants, so that there is no
absolute certainty of retaining purity, I'M
less different varieties are entirely discon-
nected at considerable distance. So great
is this liability to mix, that we constantly
see examples of it in many kinds OF fruit,
&c. Plant the seeds of an apple, straw
berry, or grape, and there is seldom plant
produced having the same qualities OF the
parent Our Indian corn is another ex-
ample of the mixture of varieties, which
is readily distinguished by external APP
pearance The other grains and grasses
are less liable, or show the difference less,
if at all. tsfas.t M sk4
In searching u field of wheat, rye, oats,
or barley, perhaps few stalks may be
found which bear heads the grain of which
varies in some respects from the rest the
crop These, if selected and saved sepa-
rately, and planted, and the best OF the
product saved for future planting, and such
selection and careful culture continued for
a term of years, will succeed in establish
ing valuable new varieties Such has been
the case, and the same may i'll the future
be accomplished by any one having the
necessary patience and perseverance, to
the gradual improvement of agriculture.
In like manner corn may be improved by
careful selection and culture to develop
any particular point, but it is a work Of
years, and cannot be soon or suddenly ac-
complished The potato being of differ
ent class, and propagated differently, is
not liable to change by mixture. The COM
mon mode of culture of the potato is to
propagate from the tubers, or eyes, and
not from the seed, which is produced in
small potato balls from the end Of the
stems, following the blossoms. Thepotato
is merely an enlarged underground branch,
and the eyes answer the same end as the
buds on the branches of the apple tree, or
the grapevine, in a dormant state; so that
new varieties or mixtures can be no more
produced from planting the tubers than
-; Of of frra no had from
planting cuttings of the vine, or new va
rieties Of apples from grating the scion
into different stock To obtain new
varieties of potatoes, the seed from ripe
balls of the potatoes are planted, and sell
dom are there two of kind produced
from seed of the same plant. In this way
of planting the seed, and selecting the
most promising sorts, judging from the
foliage tops and the tubers, have been pro-
duced many new varieties,
Probably most of the readers of this
have heard OF read of the great labor, per-
severance and expense of the Rev. Mr.
Goodrich in improving our potato, and
resulting in the addition of several of the
new varieties which are before the public; ;
probably no man ever spent the same
amount of time labor and expense in i'm
proving any one article of agricultural
production, as did he during his lifetime,
IN improving the potato. Only about half
dozen varieties were considered worthy
of cultivation out of some sixteen thou
sand produced, thus showing the great I'M
certainty of seed producing even as good
as its parent kind.
Purity of seed is only retained, as above
intimated, by careful culture, selection
and perfect maturity, and freedom from
any admixture of other foreign seed. Too
much care cannot be exercised in select
ing, cleaning and preserving seed-requi-
sites too frequently UNDECIDED by far too
many farmers, who will find their profits
greatly enhanced by proper attention to
these points.
Soil and climate, as before intimated,
exert very strong influence on all varie-
ties of seeds and products Different vari-
cites of soil give peculiar qualities to the
same variety of plants, thus showing the
governing influence the soil exerts, and
the connection of soil and product The
season, whether wet or dry, also affects
the quality and quantity of produce from
any given amount of seed. The mode of
culture, kind and quality of manure APP
piled, amount and how applied, besides
many other causes, exert marked infiu-
ence over the products of any variety of
seed; but in all cases it is found that with
the same culture, &c, superior seed pro-
duces superior product
The rotation, or course of cropping, will
not only affect the quantity of the pro-
duct, but in measure also the quality