Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1868-10-30


grain until it branches considerably, in
the following extract:
"If grain of wheat is placed six
inches beneath the surfaeeAit will vege-
tate and throw out two leaves, which are
| generally called seminal leaves, and cor
responding roots; then a thread is
thrown out, which, as soon as it reaches
near enough to the surface to come in
contact with atmospheric air, it there
forms knob or enlarged point, which is
the part from which q new set Of branch
es and roots are thrown out which, in
the autumn, is about an inch and half
or two inches beneath the surface After
this period, the seminal leaves, roots and
the thread denomiRated caudex, dies and
becomes useless to the plant; above
which, it has new set of roots,
branches, etc. On examining manyroots
of wheat, some had knob between the
seminal and cOrOnal roots, etc, appearing
to be an effort of nature which proved
abortiye, being not near enough to the
surface to obtain air. If the seed is
placed anywhere between six inches and
two from the surface, there will be set
of coronal and seminal roots and
branches; but if the seed is placed any,
where between the surface and two inch~
es below, there will be only one set of
roots and branches, and those immediates
ly progressing in their different directions
from the seed. | have said the stem or
thread arises from the seminal roots to
within two inches Of the surface, in the |
autumn; but this depends on the dryness |
and porOsity Of the soil at the time of |
vegetating; for, after the soil has settled |
by rains, and according to the tenacity |
and specific gravity of the soil, also its |
moisture, which increases the specific |
gravity, and prevents the access Of ats
mospheric air, so VIII it be found nearer |
the surface; so that in the spring of the |
year, if any branching takes place at
late period, it will be found to be entire-
ly on the surface.
From the above statement Of facts, ] |
draw this inference: that if a grain of |
wheat is deposited upwards of two inches
below the surface, that it has an extraor-
binary effort of nature to make, to come
up to that point beneath the surface
where it has access to atmospheric air;
and is propOrtionally great according to
the depth, quality of the soil, moisture,
etc, which must occupy proportionable
lens tn of time, and consequently is equal |
to having been sOwn so much later, ifput
its proper depth; and this take to be the
secret of the ''King William Farmers
deep and early seeding, as he particular
ly mentions a mother root, which | take
to be the seminal root, which is an evil
dence of the grain being deposited deeper
than nature intended it should for it is
not to be found in wheat unless deposi~
ted upwards of two inches beneath the
surface. He having mentioned the
mother root, ought to have told us someo
what about where the daughters were to
be found; for it is upon them that the
Hessian fly commits its ravages; and |
fancy they will always be found within
less than two inches Of the surface, the
depth which he admits the fly to pene.
trate He admits, also, that all the semi.
nal leaves were dead--a pretty good
proof that the roots were dead also
"The next inference | make is, that the
branching Of wheat being within that
distance to which the Hessian fly is
known to penetrate, and that its branch
es become shallower, according to the
lateness of its branching, that deep seed
ing is no preventive against the rava~
yes of the fly.
The last inference, and not the least,
IS that where the seed is deep and out of
the influence of atmospheric air, that
should thessseasOn be moist or wet at the
time of seeding, the specific gravity of
the soil being increased, and its pores
closed with moisture before the vegeta~
ton has reached the branching point, the
seed will rot in the ground, and either par
tally or totally destroy, or rather prevent
4 crop being made. This happened to sew,
eral Of my friends this last fall, and is
circumstance that ! have seen often hap.
pen, notwithstanding the strong DISPOSE
ion farmers have discovered of late years
or deep seeding To conclude, from
Of the above facts, and !
hirty years experience, | am of opinion
hat the best depth Cor seeding wheat is
rom one to two inches
Thus have endeayored to cOmmuni~
ate my ideas respecting the growth and
J epth Of seeding the wheat crop, etc.
We will only add that the foregoing ar
icles, we think, establish the following
acts
LIST. That wheat ought not to be sOwn
leeper, at any time, than two inches; and
ought it not to be done in the
more advanced stages Of the sowing
season.
ID That to cover it three or four inches
deep, is to throw away the advantages of
early seeding, and to waste q large pro.
portion of the seed sown; because Of that
v hich terminates at all, much the vital
energy of that portion which does not
perish in the struggle, is expended in the
fort to reac b that favorable point near
The surface which constitutes the true
matrix of the plant that is to say, the
DO int where light, heat, atmospheric air
md moisture combine their influence for
he promotion of its nutrition and growth,
md where the plant puts forth that sysN
EN- of roots in the surface mould,
through which draws from the soil the
Of its organism, so far as it Is
dependent upon it for its inorganic, and
| portion of its organic constituents.
Sd. That if not established by the fore
,oing discussion, it certainly is by the
testimony of many intelligent
md practical farmers, that in order to
secure an early harvest, it is necessary
o SOW early, to SOW thickly, especially
,oOr land, subject to winter~klll, and to