The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1876-09-20
improvements CT Seed Grain.


been appreciated as it deserves.
ssgsss,s improvements CT Seed Grain.
Es}+ Vsesprepared a careful article for
otarsnorth western farmers, on the inn
proyement of seed grain, when some
kind Friend sent us the following,
writtenby a. L. Blunt and published
in the Country Gentleman. which we
publish instead Of the original we pre-
pared, and respectfully ask the consid-
Grafton of the farmers in this State to
it's Importance.
-' REINFORCEMENT OF SEED GRAIN.
For some yet unaccounted for rea-
son, the$average yield Of wheat has
been growing less and less for years
all over the country. In the same To-
caNties, on the same soil that once pro-
duced on an average Of thirty bushels,
the yield now is but fifteen. Has the
land :degenerated, run ont, or been ex-
hausted of all it's life? Have the sea-
sons SO changed that their influence
upon the growing crop is destructive,
OF has the seed SO far deteriOrated that
al average cannot be obtained?
TO Say that the land has Degenerate
ed Or lost its vitality would condemn
the utility of marures; both home.
made and commercial. Never was
there SO much labor bestowed and
money spent upon the soil to fertilize
it as now. Twenty tons are now scat
tered where but one was used years
ago. The most scientifically prepared
composts are now put on the soil, and
still the averages 80 down. Has the
climate anything to do with lessening
the average? But little, when COM
pared with other essentials. I say
''but little.'' When the winter is
characterized by long, deep SHOWS the
wheat clop rs better. 1t is better, too,
when freezes and thaWs Go not fire.
quent]y come and so. and when the
rainfall is small. Then, repeat it,
the season has much less to do with
making Il wheat crop sure and profit;l-
bic than most people. are willing to
admit.
Has the seed, used and disabused as
it now is, anything to do in diminish
ing the yield! Much, very much. I
contend, us | have done i'll former az
ticles, that q good and profitable wheat
crop depends Us much, il not more
than half, upon careful selecting and
saving of the seed. know it tD be q
fact in this section from numerous eN-
periments have made with more than
twenty varieties Of wheat upon differ
ent soils and with different fertilizers.
4 systeEa OF carelessness in selecting
and saving seed wheat has character
lied almost the entire class of wheat
growers for a long time. This system
would ruin any seed if carried to such
an extent. Crops are cut in the dough
state, before the germ has become ma
tured sufficiently to reproduce even a
healthy stalk ). it is threshed without
any reference to the injurious effects
Of the heavy, rapid strokes of the
threshcr upon the grain: it is put in
the garner and made to ''sWeat."
When reason, common sense and
the laws of vegetable physiology are
brought to bear upon such treatment
Of seed, who wonders at the decline in
averages who can be astonished that
it has run out Wheat for seed
should be selected as carefully, and
gathered when as ripe as farmers do
their seed corn or florist their seeds.
Corn has not deteriorated, nor have
other seeds and grain. Vegetable
gardeners, florists and seedsmen exer-
else the greatest possible care in say
ing their seeds. 1t is the only method
they can adopt by which they keep up
the standard Of their products, i'm
prove their seed, flowers and fruits,
and sustain their reputation. Why
not, then, do the same in wheat; why
not take the best; why no. let it ripen
well before cutting? I contend that
every farmer should pick by hand Il
few bushels Of tlead-ripe heads every
year from the choicest soil, and should
rub the grain out instead Of thresh-
ing. 1t will take time and patience,
but by actual experiments l have
made for six years it will pay; pay
we'll, too. Should this system be car
ried out. by all, the former average
could be easily attained, and the many
enemies and accidents that attack
wheat would be in great measure
avoided.