Year: 1862

The care of the plant, or the living principle
in the plant, does not cease the moment the
seed is fully born. As it is improper that chill
dren should be abandoned as soon as they are
weaned but should receive some outfit, and in
herit the estate of the parent at decease; so
plants provide for their young.


In the case of winter Wheat and several
kinds of Grasses the order of nature is that the
seed should ripen, fall back into the earth under
the shadow of the old stalk, while that stalk is
still standing. When the seed has taken root
and begun to sprout the old stem as the frosts
and cold chils of winter approach, falls upon the
young grain, and being dead thus bequeatbs its
estate to the new wheat and thus protects it
through the winter. If itwere still the practice
to spread the old straw upon the young grain,
instead of wantonly robbing the orphans of all
their inheritance, leaving them to cold and nak-
edness, we should have no more complaint of
wnter-killed wheat. In an ordinarily good crop
by this animal robbery, seven-eights of all the
seed sown perishes aud is lost, and but one
eighth survives this unnatural treatment, and
natures. We think the author must be mis-
taken ia this statement.-ED. JoUR. With
proper protection one seed of wheat will pro-
duce three stalks and each stalk bear forty -four
kernels, or an ncrerse of one hundred and thirty
fold. But an average crop Of wheat does moi
| yield more than twenty bushels to an acre, sowr
with one and a-fourth bushels of seed, or an in.
crease ofabout sixteen fold. have long known
these facts about wheat, but as have made nc
pompous flourish in the world, no notice has
been taken of my observations and millions OF
bushels of bread for the hungry have been lost.
Let us look at the wondrous wisdom display
ed in provision for the Butternut.


This dicotyledonous plant. The seed is
oily and sweet. 1t is the favorite food of many
small animals 1t is therefore protected by O
fort of two valves, so admirably adjusted as ia
require great force to break in or separate them
Thus the enemy are kept at bay, yet the very
gentlest pressure from within, viii separate the
valves and open the fort to the inmates. The
seed thus protected falls to the ground, repose
during the winter and by chemical action be
comes prepared for its future career. With th,
first genial warmth of returning spring the cx
pandng, oily seed presses upon the inner walls



its journey unharmed by foes. The outer wal
ofthis fort is made exceedingly rough, embossed
barbed repellant with fretted work like a file
which ressts the attacking teeth of most ami
mails, although some do occasionally penetrate
the fort and destroy the occupant. Yetthe tasl
is so great, the defense so strong, that most o
the forts are not captured, and do not surrender
But there are insects, little creatures to whom
these rough, salient external objects are as noun
tains. They might Chamber over these ragge
points of the fortress and find ample plains fo
their promenading ground and military reviews
These little beings, however minute, are ofte
capable of penetrating into and through tn
hardest vegetable substances. They coul,
bring their augers and bore into the fortress
make a breach large enough for an army Of then
to enter, take up their winter quarters and reve
upon the oily seed. Against all this defens
is prepared. A green bitter wrapper, filed wit
La pungent, aromatic, adhesive yiscus covers tn
fort like masked battery These little enc
; mics get mired in this varnish, their eyes ar
closed by the gnm, and their whole bodie
smart with the aromatic, astringent bitters
not wounded or taken prisoners, they retrea
But when General Frost arrives, he either kill
or disperses them, and they seek other homes
At the same time he breaks and finally pulls 0
the wrapper it being no longer needed, B'
fore these enemies can return in the spring Ii
seed will have become plant, able to Proto'
himself Crack and eat the butternut if yo
will, but observe the wisdom that placed Ii
sweet meat so securely in that fortress.