Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1873-12-24
Importance of a Judicious Selection
Of Seed.
BY THE COMMISSIONER OF AonIcuIruny

BY THE COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE
Through the medium of an essay
read before the Agricultural and me.
chanical Association of Gadsden Co.
Fla, by the Hon. &. II. Dupont, de,
sire to impress upon the farmers and
planters of tho country the great i'm.
portancc of n proper selection of seed
The essay is given in plainness OF
language and with q force of expires
sion which must command the assent
of every reader, and perhaps induce
the practice of what is so sensibly en-.
forced. The planter is apt to con-
cludc that selection gives too much
trouble; but that trouble is the work
of the farm, and what work can be SO
proftableY But there is another in
junction which should accompany the
preccpts of this valuable essay: that
crops of grain, cotton, or tobacco must
be rooted by grass, peas, rye, or other
vegetable crop turned into tbe ground.
II is one of the provisions of nature,
that the growing product OF the soil
ltseif is essential 10 It's continued life
and powers OF reproduction. While
artihclai mannres and mercantile slim
ulants may force production fop time,
their ultimate consequence, without
the addition'of the growing vegeta-
'lon, is debility and death.
Inc following Is Mr.. Duponts essay:
1t is a law of physical nature, as
universally applicable TO the vegeta-
BILE as to the animal kingdom, that
"likeproduces like" horccognition
OF tho law is not merely theoretical or
speculative; it is of universal accept
ancc, and its existence has been at
tested by long experience and the
most critical observation. Tho judi
cious stock-raiser gives his testimony
as to his belief in its existence when
no consents to pay fabulous prices for
what he denominates "pure blood"
whether it be OF horses, cattle, sheep,
or swine. SO universal is this belief
among mankind, that ho would be set
down as q fool or madman who
should essay to rear n 6rst.class racer
or trotter from ANYTHING abort of n
nthorough bred on The side of both
sire and dam.
1t NAV. however. be asked. If this
be n Iap-flxed. absolute and un;yor.
sal-bow bannens Il that differences
In color, form, powor of endurance.
and hcetness almost invariably exist
between the individual produce of the
same sire and dam and this query NAV
be propounded as an argument TO cs.
tablish an erccption, which is contrary
TO the essential quality of a "ldw," the
idea and definition of the samo being
fixcdness and universality. But the
querist gains no aid to his doubt when
he is informed that there Is another
law governing the procreation of all
animals, which is dcnominated "brced.
ing back II is established bevond
ali cavil, by the experience Of the
most critical observers. that where
there exists the slightest taint of blood
iu tho original stock, although IL may
have lain dormant ocr several gonera.
LIONS, yet IN the course Of time it will
be apt to show itself in some individu-
nj OF the family. This is particularly
observable IN the breeding of that
noblest OF The lower animals, the horse,
and II credit Is to be accorded TO the
statements OF some Of the most relia.
DIG medical authors, even man himself
. not exempt from the operation Of
lhls iat,er law Well-attcsted cases
are cited, where the fd'nt OF African
Dlood, after laying dormant Tor two
Or threo generations, has at last OK.
nipited ilself IN some member OF The
lami'y py a marked development OF
~ .ne pnyslcai character,slics OF tnat
particular race Iittlc renection