Daily globe., 1879-03-17

welfare of tho whole cOuntry There
would certainly be q very heavy RESPONSE
bility upon him and his conscience, involy-
ing consequences which do not care to con-
template, should he set his individual opinion
and party inclinations against the earnest
conviction and deliberate expression of the
House of Representatives fresh from the
people, and the Senate charged with uphold
ing the rights of tie several states.'
NO. e SPRING.
The terminating PrODriettes of This Grade
of Wheat as Demonstrated by Inuestiga-
tioss tn MtItUa,ssee-TerY SattsfactoTy
Erpertments-Ltltle Encouragement for
the BaslIs.
Milwaukee Special to Chicago Tribune.
The Tribune correspondent, having been
informed that experiments were being quiet
ly made in Milwaukee, with the view of de-
determining the terminating proprieties of
No. 2 spring wheat of the crop of 1873,
spent a portion of the forenoon in search
after facts bearing upon this important
question. Believing that what our railway
people do not know about wheat is not worth
knowing, the general offices of the Chicago,
Milwaukee & St. Paul railway company were
first visited, with the most satisfactory re.
suits. Superintendent Fl. @. Atkins gave
the purport of recent conversation
with Mr.. Bassett, of the firm of
Bassett, Hunting & Co., commission
merchants, in which that gentleman claimed
that even the light wheat will germinate as
readily as the better qualities. Mr.. Bassett
stated that experiments had been made with
the lightest of the spring wheat now mar
keted, and every kernel germinated, showing
above ground quite as well as the sprouts Of
the plump berries. This, to his mind, proved
conclusively that the shrunken wheat retains
its life giving properties. Besides, the wheat
being light, and the kernel 80 small, farmers
will not require as many bushels to the acre
for seeding purposes. There is in Minnesota
at present q large amount of Northern Pa
cifc railroad wheat, as it is called, but farm
ers do not buy it for seeding purposes to the
extent that holders anticipated, as they are
satisfied with the terminating qualities of
fer putting it to a thor
ough test. According to Mr.. Bassett,
the best crop ever grown in Minnesota was
the product of shrunken wheat. Mr.. Atkins
added: 'tIn my opinion there is no occasion
for alarm concerning the coming crop pros
pect, in consequence of the average quality
of the spring wheat of last year. If the con-
djtions otherwise are favorable, there is not
the slightest doubt in my mind that the
wheat crop of 1879 in Wisconsin, Minnesota
and other Northwestern States, where the
kernel suffered shrinkage to such an alarm
ing extent last year, will be fully equal to
the best ever grown, both in quantity and
quality. I have information that the in
crease in acreage over former years will be
large, particularly in Iowa and Minnesota.
In Wisconsin the average of winter wheat
this season is much greater than has been
known before in many years. The condi-
tions thus far have been most favorable, and
the plants show we'll above ground. now that
the covering of snow has been removed by
the advent of mild weather."
The opinion of Mr.. Merrill was next
sought, which necessitated visit to, the
apartments of the general manager. Here
the correspondent encountered Mr.. Hunt
ting, of the firm of Bassett, Hunting &
Co., referred to by Superintendent Atkins.
This gentleman had brought with him from
McGregor sample of sprouts grown by
Mrs. Bassett from spring wheat that weighed
between forty-fve and forty-seven pounds to
the bushel. The kernels, he said, had been
counted previous to planting, and thus
showed that every kernel had sprouted.
''These sprouts said Mr.. Hunting, care
equal to those grown from No. wheat, at
least they have that appearance now.
Whether they will produce as well remains
to be determined by future experiment. Our
firm are interested with Cargil & Van, COM
mission merchants, of La Crosse, in large
tract of land in Minnesota that will be
sown with this light wheat. That shows
that We have faith in it. Mr.. Bassett
and have talked with numbers of
farmers, all of whom agree that this light
wheat will germinate to an extent equal with
the heavier and better qualities. The ma
jority of these farmers will make use of the
light wheat for seed, in preference to paying
exorbitant prices for No. /. This, of course,
as matter of economy. The opinion held
by Mr.. Bassett and myself, based upon in
formation derived from farmers and pro-
ducers, is, that no alarm need be felt con-
corning even the poorest of the present
crop for seeding purposes. The expert
ments thus far conducted show that nearly
every kernel, no matter how much shrunken,
will sprout-in fact, the kernels have sprout-
ed in every instance where tested. Farmers
scout the idea that the wheat will not grow.
The magnificent crop of 1872 in Minnesota
was grown from the blasted and shrunken
wheat resulting from the crop failure of the
previous year. Farmers used the wheat for
seeding because they had no other, and the
result was simply astonishing"
In conclusion, Mr.. Hunting referred the
correspondent to Mr.. Merrill for an exhibi-
ton of the plants brought hither by him,
which were grown by Mrs. Bassett from re-
jected wheat, sample of which accompa-
MED the sprouts. The railway manager, al
though much occupied otherwise, led the
way into his private apartments and pointed
to small box filled with earth, which was
covered with young wheat plants. "They
look healthy enough to satisfy anyone" said
Mr.. Merrill; 'and this is the stuff from which
they were produced,:' pointing to small
quantity of shriveled and bleached kernels
lying upon paper beside the box. And the
plants did look not only healthy but vigor-
GUS.
Mr.. Hunting said that the acreage of wheat
in Iowa and Minnesota will be increased, but
not to the extent of the increase of last sea-
son.
The Hon. Hans Crocker, who happened to
be present, expressed the opinion that the
wheat plants exhibited by Mr.. Hunt
ting looked strong and healthy,
but the question whether the
product of diseased and shrunken wheat
would be equal to that of healthy grain was
an open one in his mind. He thought that
if he possessed land for wheat-growing pur-
poses he would prefer purchasing sound
grain for seed.
From the railway offices the Tribune cor
respondent next proceeded on Change, where
he encountered Angus Smith, William Young
and other extensive speculators in wheat,
but not one of them felt competent to e1-
press an opinion on the subject, although it
had been brought to their attention on more
than 0na 0ncasion ,lhou oxnraaaad NO snr.