Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1869-08-19
farmers Department
Saving Good Seed.

One of the primary requisites 10
both truck gardening and farming
proper. where grain raising constl-
tutes one of the principal branches
of agriculture, is good seed. No
nerson can till the soil with any sat
isfactory expectation of reaping re-
munerative crops of anything, when
timely care has not been exercised
IN saving seed of superierssquality
Very few tillers OF the soil seem to
have any proper appreciation OF, the
eminent advantage arising from the
use of excellent seed. 1t is ac-
knowledged that large proportion
of both farmers and gardeners en-
ploy very inferior article of seed In
the cultivation of almost every kind
of crop, whether it be grain, grass,
or vegetables. Grain producing far
mers, as a rule, always SOW such
oats, wheat, rye and barley as they
happen to have, or such as they can
purchase most conveniently. And,
in most instances, not third OF
the kernels are at all fit for seed
grain. The consequence is such in
ferior crops as are seen all over the
country, where the soil would pro-
duce more than double the yield,
with the same cultivation, were the
seed of a superior character. Infe-
rior, half-matured seed of any kind,
can no more produce fair crop of
plump and heavy grain or vegeta
ples, than a herd of thrifty, smooth
and symmetrical animals can be
reared from stock that are coarse,
unthrifty and lacking in those excel
lent points of form and symmetry
that constitute superior animal
AS the seed is so the crop will be.
The fact is SO apparent under all cir
cumstances that it may be set down
as a reliable rule in every depart
ment of husbsndry. We cannot ex-
pect that stock, or seed of any kind,
will impart to that which springs
from it, many-if any at all-excel-
lences which it does not itself pos
sess. If, for example, we desire TO
rear domestic animals that have
their excellent peints SO permanent
ly established that they will transmit
them with satisfactory certainty to
their offspring, we do not feel that
there is much--if any-uncertainty
in proper efforts to rear fine stock.
Ifthe stock be reliable, the product
will not fail to be good. And SO it
is with all the crops of the field and
the vegetables of the garden. Like
will never fail to produce like, if the
husbanGman will perform his part
well in cultivating the soil and in
saving the seed q"
August is one of the most impor-
tant months of all the year, in our
latitude, for saving seeds. Dame
Nature always makes wonderful pro-
vision for the Improvement of all
kinds of cereal grain and vegetables
by concentrating large proportion
of the energies of growing plants in
the perfect development of limited
amount of superior seed. When one
is digging potatoes, lfhe has trained
his eye to observe the operations of
Nature, he will see now and then, as
the tubers roll out of the hill, an ex-
cellent looking potato that attracts
particular attention. Nature has de-
signed such specimens for the seed
of future crop. There has been a
concentration ofthe energies of the
growing plant in those particular
specimens; and, in some instances,
those operations have been perform
ed at the expense of those that grew
in close proximity. In almost all
kin DIS of vegetables, men who have
taken observations on this subject
have not failed to see that Nature al
ways works in some way to improve
the seed, even of noxious weeds. In
the panicles OF carrots, parsnips and
other vegetables, in the pods of cab
bage and turnips that are about go
ing to seed, Dame Nature indicates
which should be saved for the seed
of q future crop; and, if those seeds
be saved with care and planted, the
product will never fail to be far su-
perior to what the yield would have
been were both good and inferior
seed employed.
If we go into field of oats, for
example, when the crop begins to
rlpen, we shall see few large and
fine panicles of grain in which are
small number of fully developed ker-
nels, much superior to the large pro-
portion of the crop. Tbs same is
true with wheat, barley and rye.
Those kernels of marked superiori.
ty, should be saved for seed. If Sc.
lected with care, and planted for
few seasons in rich ground, and the
culls separated every season, an i'm
proved variety of grain will be OBJ
tanned, which will seldom fail to
yield two bushels of plump grain,
where hitherto only one had been
produced. There is no uncertainty
on this subject. If the husbandman
will perform his part with timely
care, the result will be an abundant
crop, just as sure as the seasons roll
their accustOInnd round ~ Y M