The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1901-11-19
NEWS OF THE FARMING WORLD.

Correspondence OF The Progressive Farmer.
While the evils of in-breeding have
been recognized in the Gaze of ami
mails for centuries, it is only within
the past few decades that the tire
mendous influence of this process on
plants has been made manifest. In
a general way the farmer has known
that by
GETTING FRESH SEED EVERY YEAR
or Two, he obtAlned better results
than he could, if he saved his own
seed, bat this was about as far as in
terest in the matter had proceeded
until very few years ago. Oar win
first showed to the world generally
the marvellous difference between
self-fertllzei or in bred seeds and
those of CROSS breed, and attention
was centered Sd exclusively on th1
application he made of this and other
facts to the descent of animals an
of man that his researches in the
plant line were almost ignored for
years after wards QIite recently
tue subject has been taken up ON it's
other side, that of improving plants
by GROSS breeding, not only between
those from different seotiOnH, but
also those of different speoies-this
work to be done by the Agricultural
Department., which has been dong a
great work its plant breeding labOra-
tory. True 80 is purpose of adher
ing TO plants of the greatest utility,
the laboratory has given its special
attention TO wheat, corn, oOrt N,
oranges, pears, grapes, etc. Wheat
esOeciaily has been studied, as be
sides being 80 valuable, is has many
other characteristics which make
work with it both interesting and
easy. Is can be bred in immense
quantities at small cost; the ''per-
Torrance record" of each individual
can be measured in q mum ber of it's
important characteristics-a yield
in weight of grain, quality of grain,
size of kernels, height of plant, etc +;
and these values may be expressed
in mum mbers, so as to be averaged for
d series of plants in one year or for
q series of years; the seeds from
each plant being numerous, a small
plot can be planted from each of
several mother plants, and securip G
their averages of yield, quality of
grain, height, etc., the transmitting
powers of the respective parents may
be easily compared; field varieties
may be developed from each of the
several best stocks, and these, at
reasona Bile expense, may be tested in
field trials 80 as to yield and also as
TO their milling properties; finally
the seeds may be preserved for
number of years, so that the original
variety may bs grown and compared
with the progeny which has been bred
for some time. During the past few
ears, the Department has undOubt-
edly improved the standard breeds
of whsat. Whenever a new hybrid,
which comes true TO type, has been
obtained, it is rapidly increased and
it's seed sold, in quantities of few
bushels, to farmers in sections where
it seems to do best. Almost univer-
sally, this wheat has given better re-
suits than the other breeds cultivated
By the farmer, who is expected to
sell his first crop TO his neighbors for
seed, thus spreading the variety and
raising the crop average of the dis
trict.
The Department of Agriculture
has completed plans for the
ANNUAL SEED DISTRIBUTION
throughout the country. Despite
the fact that double the usual amount
of seeds is to be sent out this winter,
the preliminary work is advanced
much further than in past years.
There will be 37,OOO,OOO packets of
seed distri buted, comprising both
vegetables and flowers. A change
has been made in the method of dis
tri ibuting cotton and forage crops,
which now, instead of being sent
broadcast, will be sent only to GER
tain sections where they are adapt
able and likely to bring about inn
proved conditions. Havana and
Sumatra tobacco will be sent only to
Florida and certain parts of New
England, where their culture has
proven successful and where muslin
sheets spread over large tracts of
tobacco area furnish the necessary
1:A;o,a Otbor EvDoS Of