The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1871-07-28
The Laws of Grain Breeding.

At late meeting of the 81. Louis
Farmers Club, the subject OF breed
ing grain was discussed. We take
the following:
Col Coleman thought that the sub
icct fo- discussion. Ire selection and
preservation Of seeds, was one of as
much importance as any that could
lee considered by the club. He
knew that farmers generally did not
appreciate thcimPOTtance of selecting
only the bCS seeds for sowing and
planting. Il was Just as important,
II they wished 10 obtain good crops,
to select healthy, well developed, per-
feet seeds. as II was 10 select good
breeding animals il they wish 10 OBJ
tain the best specimens of animals
of their respective breeds. Stock
breeders q to great expense to pro-
cure the best animals to breed from.
They will spend thousands of dol
lars. and We might say thousands of
guineas in the cid country for the
best animal that could be obtained
10 breed from. Like begets like, lie
said. not only in the animal but in the
vegetable world. Consequently, if we
want 10 get good seeds, good crops,
paying crops, healthy crops, they
mast have good seed - obtain these
crops from. lie was convinced that
seed raised in tie best manner, hav-
ing a proper soil, plenty Of room,
plenty Of air and light, start with
more vigoT, reproduce themselves
earlier, with larger returns than seeds
which have been crowded, and which
were imperfectly developed.
This law Of reproduction, the
farmer should understand, is as -igid.
As iupzorablc IN the vegetable world
"a, In the animal world. He had no
doubt it would pay any farmer who
was growing any Of the grains, any
OF the cereals, TO lay OF a certain
piece OF ground for planting seed for
future sowing Give them more air,
more light, more soil TO feed upon, in
order to make them healthy and Wig
OrOus.
W ere that space could not be
given. another, plan was TO 90 into
the fields, and selecting, Tor instance,
for wheat, the largest earliest heads,
cutting them out with q knife, or
oats In tie same manner, or barley,
or any other grain, selecting The
largest heads, tie first maturing kerr
uel- and earliest ripened grain for
future sowing. Persons had told
him. and written home, that they had
taken the large end, The but end of
IN ear Of corn, and planted the seed
from that end, and planted that at
ttc smaller end. They found that the
ccrn from the large end win ripen
three weeks earlier than that of the
smaller end. a. farmers were sow
ing their corn now, we would like
them 10 make the experiment
There was another matter IN the
selection OF wheat. The early wheat
lIways brings the best pIice, cOnse-
guentlv the Alabama or Tennessee
wheat Is shipped here, and brings
good price. Wheat obtained from
the South, and sown in our latitude,
would ripen number of days earlier
tlau wheat raised in this latitude a
series of wears, or wheat obtained
from the North. lie thought that
wheat was an exception. He had
found by actual experience that pOta-
toes will not yield as big crop from
seeds raised in this latitude lie did
not think POTATOES were as well
adaptcd to this latitude as TO a more
northern one. They would not have
a, good q crop from native potatoes
as if they sent TO the North tor seed
10 plant
The speaker neat referred to Tie
purifvipe and cleansing of seeds for
wheat. barley, oats and the like. lie
-aid they should be run through a
fan-mi!l until every light, trashy and
impcrfect seed was removed. There
was another important considcrat on
in regard TO wheat; that was hat 1t
should be put through pickle OF
hIuc stone and salt and lime. 1t
should be washed in thai in order TO
Kill and destroy the fungus and GER
tain insects that effect the seed.
Farmers who had tried those rules
mad reported that they had saved
their crops By doing so, that they
had ripencd them earlier and had de-
stroyed the fungus that frequently
Injured the wheat.
RITTER MAKING.-Thc pre-Tequi- /
sites 10 butter making are as follows;
Good cows. good feed, pure water,
pure air in doors and out-which
implics buildings with facilities for
warming and ventilation = proper |
APPARATUS. care In every thing, tie /
most scrupulous clcsrliness, and |
= hove and bevond. and including all,
an honest and fixed determination
to excel. TO give the consumer. not
=. his moneys worth" NJ the utmost