Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1869-09-16
tarnlers Department.
Procuring Seed from a Distance

tits well known to every intelil-
gent farmer that the various crops OF
potatoes, wheat, DC, need changing.
Some fifteen years ago the white
wheat was q marked success on all
our richer lands. Now it is almost
total failure, scarcely any one seed
ing it. The two varieties OF Medit-
errsneau. the bald snd bearded,
were also very productive. Now
thew are not. Even the more lately
introduced variety-knewn as the
red chaff bearded Mediterranean
is not as productive as it was when
it was introduced into Ohio some
eight years ago. In the potato crop,
the same deteieration has marked its
cultivation. For several years the
white Neshannock was the great po-
tato of the west. Other varieties of
the Neshannock were also cultivated
with success. Who cultivates them
now, at least with any idea of profit?
Other potatoes have taken their
places, and these in turn will be sup
planted by others.
These facts suggest some very i'm
portant points for the consideration
of all engaged in agricultural pro-
duction. AS the same area of land,
the same amount of seed, and the
same labor are required to cultivate
and prepare for market, with poor,
deteiorating varieties, as with the
best, it behooves every farmer to
look well to his seed. A few dollars
expended in procuring new varie-
ties will nearly always in the end
pay from one hundred to five hun
dred per cent. When farmers can
not conveniently get these varieties
individually, they can club together
and thus effect their object. This is
a good time for them to begin some
clubbing arrangement to procure
winter wheat and fall barley from a
distance, as from Michigan, New
York, or Pennsylvania. They could
either send one of their number to
make the D urchase, and do the ship
ping, or trust it to other reliable
agencies.
What would the extra cost of
even five dollars bushel be, if by
change from two to ten or more
bushels would be harvested? Even
one bushel per acre increase would
likely defray all extra cost of seed,
while the great advantage would be
seen in succeeding crops, the in
creased yield of which would be clear
profit.
Farmers are generally willing to
admit these facts, but they are usual
ly slow to act upon their convictions.
They have too little faith in one an
others spirit of enterprise to pro-
pose to their neighbors such arrange
ments as 1 have mentioned. They
too often think thus: 81 will try
my old variety once more. Perhaps
it will do better next year" But
next year comes and goes with an
Improbable crop.
A few years ago, the writer con-
versed with farmer in Southern
Ohio who informed him that by far
the best crop of the old bearded
Mediterranean wheat raised in his
neighborhood that year was raised
from seed brought from the northern
part of the State, while all other
crops were from seed raised in the
neighborhood, and he knew no other
reasons why it was any better, as
other f1eids had the same tillage and
equally good wheat soil. This is
only one instance among hundreds
which might be adduced in favor of
procuring seed from a distance
Our farmers cannot too highly esti-
mate its advantages, nor too faithful
ly carry out plans to secure so desi-
rable an end.-Cowntryman.