The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1882-11-02
Farm and Heme.
CHANGING Seed.

Changing Seed.
The advantages or disadvantages
a change of seed from one
soil or climate to other soils or eli
mates suggest series of questions
in practical agriculture about which
comparatively little is known.
Most persons engaged in the cul-
ture of plants will admit that the
value of crops is greatly influenced
by the kind of seed sown, and so
far as they can be guided by ap-
pearance, they will endeavor to Sc
cure a good sample when making a
selection for seeding purposes; ex-
ternal appearances, however will
not always enable us to decide up
on the exact value of seed with re
gard to the plant which it may pro
duce, something will be due both to
the particular soil and climate in
which the seed was grown of which
there may be no external evidence
but which will undoubtedly exert
an influence, more or less pro-
nounced upon the plant which is
produced from it. But how far
this influence extends, or how far 1t
may be made subservient to the in
crease, the earliness, or otherwise
add to the intrinsic value of crops,
we have no certain knowledge; and
although a veLy great amount of
facts could be advanced to prove
that such changes occur, yet they
have not been treated so as to
bring them together in such sys-
tematic form as would admit of de-
ducing any principle of action from
their tabulated results.
AS a general rule there is by far
too little attention paid to seed saw
ing; it would seem that but few
farmers are accustomed to give ex-
ira care in the selection of grains
for seeding, even with such as are
well adapted to the climate in
which they are grown. Practically
it is possible to maintain a gradual
improvement upon plants, in eli
mates entirely suited to their
growth, by constantly selecting the
best and most fully developed
seeds only. On the other hand it is
equally certain that by collecting
unfortunately large and small,
shriveled and plump, and sowing
as gathered, a gradual falling of
will be perceived in the crops. A
still more rapid reduction in the
value OF crops will follow the use OF
seeds procured from plants grown
in adverse climates where they dc
not reach their best condition Of
excellence. Oats afford a good il
lustration. In hot, dry climates
this grain ripens prematurely, the
seed is therefore, light and chaty
and even the best is exceedingly in
ferior when compared with oat
which have matured in cool
moist climate. About twelve year
ago, the United States Ayricultu
raj Department imported from
northern Europe quaint Y of see
oats which weighed 81 pounds pc
bushel. The first returns from til
distribution of these oats shove
that they yielded on an averag
20 bushels per acre, and weighed 4
pounds per bushel Subsequent re
, turns showed yearly deterioratiO
of about per cent, both in quar-
tity and quality. 1t is therefore c,
, ident that the most careful selet
ton of seed from the crop of TIL
third or fourth season after impO
tation would be greatly inferior I
. the original when first introduced
1t is worthy of the considerable
of farmers whether or not it wouldb
profitable for them to make an OF
I casional importation of seed oats, S
! that they might maintain this il
= crease in their oat crop with SON
degree of uniformity. This coul
!. be accomplished by the cooper.
:. ton of clubs and grsnges. The la
!. ter especially can readily COZ man
;. the details for such co-operatiN
). transactions.
. 1t is well known that climate
;. have very perceptible influences VI
Y on the habits of plants; also tn;
. these peculiarities are transmiLte
; with more or less degrees of pc
I manency to their progeny. II
. length of time required to estaI
fish a particular habit, so that il
recurrence may be looked for wit
. certainty, has not been subject {
. much recorded observation.
would appear, from what is know
Is that habits rapidly acquired are &
rapidly lost on the reversion of ii
conditions which produced then
For example: The common garde
pea will, in one season, acquire
tendency to early growth when IL
seed has been produced in a warm,
climate; that is seeds from a san
pie which has been grown in Ne
. York, is divided into two portion
one of which has been sent I
Georgia and the other to Connect
cut, where they are planted and a
lowed to mature: this product agai
being planted in New York it will
be found that the seeds from Geo
gia will pre- duce plants which wi
mature a week or more before thos
which have been grown in Conne(
ticut.
-, ., Ia Ill