St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1886-09-25
PEDlGREED SEEDS.
Why the Science of Seed-Bree ding Should
be Developed by Our Farmers.

|
be Developed by Our Farmers.
Few farmers will deny that the char
acter and quality OF the seed have much
to do with the quality and quantity of
the crop, but rarely do they realize to
what extent this is true. More atten-
ton is given to the selection OF breed
ing animals from which herds and
focks are to be produced than is given
to the seed for our most important
crop. If asked why care is exercised
/ in selecting q breeding animal, the
answer in general will be: Because
! like produces like, and if want good
! stock L must select good parents to
! breed FROM No principle can be
/ more sound or more in accordance with
! the laws of nature. but it is as APP
| pllcable in the vegetable as in the ami
NAL world and its effects are as
marked. Why then do not farmers a. ct
upon it more? Many do act in accord
ance with it to the extent of making an
iMperfeat selection of seed when Just
ready ~ plant, basing the selection on
the individual! merits Of the seed; but
this is not enough. Plants no more
than animals are exact reproductions
Of their immediate parents only, but
inherit the combined characteristics of
their more remote ancestors. 1t is i'm
portant then, that the planter should
know as far as possible what are the
inherited good and bad qualities of his
seed. In fact, before the liant grower
can win the highest success he must
become breeder of pedigreed seeds
At present he is but little more than
plant feeder and attendant Given
the seed he puts it in the ground
and, to very limited extent. aids
in providing suitable nourishmcnt
for the growing plant, trusting more
to kind Providence than to his own
care to make a crop. He ignores COM
pletely those mysterious and powerful
forces existing in the vital principle
which has been brought down through
generations of this seed and combine
in it the characteristics of countless an
cestOrs.
Wonderful as is this force and so lit
tie as its attendant laws of reproduce
ton and heredity are understood, yet
they are known and controlled by man
sufficiently to enable him to use them
for his advantage. More should and
can be learned of these laws.
But without waiting for science to
point out just the right way and to pro-
duce pedigreed seeds, every farmer can
accomplish much for himself individu-
ally by selecting the best seed at his
command and then endeavor to i'm
prove that from year to year by careful
selection and care. A few acres of the
best land to be found on the farm, con-
veniently located, could not be put to
a better use than by making it a seed
breeding ground. This, of course,
should be given the best care and cul-
aviation, and the wants of the different
plants as to the kind and quantity of
,nourishment needed carefully looked
after.
When the science of seed-breeding
has been developed as it should be. our
scedsmen will then be to the plant
grower what the thoroughbred stock
man is to the general stock-raiser.
Pedigrees of desirable kinds and strains
of seed will perhaps be recorded and
records kept of good yields. Farmers
and planters will select their seeds as
much by the record as by the character
of the seed itself.-Colnaan's Rural
World.