Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1889-03-16
Pro.Sa Wheat.


northwest to use frosted wheat 40 seed
for the now crop take upon themselves .
serious and dangerous responsibility
which thers are no facts to Justify. The
latest bulletin issued from the agrlcul-
tural experiment station at st. Anthony
Park deals at length with this question,
but We cannot fnd that 1t furnishes any
conclusive evidences, nor does 1t pretend
to do %. Tho result Of experiments
there made amounts simply to this; that
kernels Of this frosted wheat, planted
and cared for under exceptionally favor
able conditions, germanatsd successfully
and the plant showed . vitality which
surprised everybody. On no better basis
than this, > few rash peSpls sptrust tho
tremendous interests dependant upon
the wheat crop Of the northwestto gen-
eral use of frosted wheat this spring for
seeding. To such, and to farmers who
may be tempted by the extra cost Of OBJ.
tanning prime wheat for seed, we would
give the most earn eat warning to be care
fnl. The state inspectors who examined
the work at the experimental station,
call attention to the fact that kernels of
grain sowsd at aslight depth in prepared
soil, and supplied with favorable con-
ditions Of hest and m2tsturs, artidcially
produced. are IN very different shape
from those which the farmer places In
his fields to take their chances In the
struggle with possibly inolemsnt and
unfavorable season.
Itshould be added that, since these
nr+t experiments, others made at the
station have shown that frosted wheat
developed proportionslly ~ we'll whom
ex posed to bad weather and when sown
1t greater depth. 1t 10 also true, by
the same report. that - the plants reach
u matursr stage. those from tho slty htsst
frosted wheat do not show quito a. much
vigor ~ plants from the best grades.
And 1t 10 fact which We regard ~ es.
pecialty significant. All that has been
proved is the frosted wheat will germim-
ate. and produce II growing plant. But
how slight basis 10 this upon which to
rest he fortunes Of the future. We
know nothing about the future life OF
these young plants. and less than no.
thing about their ability to produce q
good quality Of fxrain. It may bs. and II
IL quite in accordancs with natural laws
that 1t should DO 40, that the inferior
vitality of the frosted herry will be ex-
hausted in the production Of u plant. and
that 1t will meyer head out at all. 1t may
be that the head will form, and that the
kernels It contains will be 90 small and
shrunken a. to be absolutely unmar'
ketabls and useless for food purposes
| No experiment would warrant the farm
or in stalking his whole fortune upol
this cast unless 1t should carry tho plan
to maturity, and prove that grain
frosted wheat will not only germinate
hut that 1t will produce wheat grading
No. l hard. In the absence Of this. th
presumption must be to the contrary
That men do not gather grapes Of thorn
or figs Of thistles IL truth older thar
the book that contains It. In the worIt
of life, the general rule Is that like pro
duces like; and this rule 10 more innexi
BILE In the vegetable than In the anima
kingdom. It would he contrary not only
to human experience, but to every Law
Of nature. IL bliyhted seed should Civ
~ fne product as that for which
had done its very oest. The safest rul
for our farmers, indeed, we are almos
inclined to say, the only safe rule. is +
procure. ifit is q possible thing to do
the best quality OF wheat for this year
seeding. The man who puts his trust II
frosted wheat for seed is taking the sam
risk that he would in selecting his weak
est animal for breeding purposes. an
must DO almost 40 sangulns al If b
should expect hne litter of Rerkshir
hogs from parents OF tho Southern razor
back variety.
l