374
For the introduction of new and improved varieties of se-lected seed, a more minute attention is necessary, especiallyat the beginning. Supposing, for instance, that a judicioushusbandman wishes to acquire a variety of any particulargrain that shall ripen earlier than usual. Having first, in theordinary manner, procured some seed as nearly of that quali-ty as he can, he watches his crop before harvest, and culls outa number of the earliest ripened heads. He sows or dibblesthe grain from these ears next season, and carefully preservestheir produce, rejecting all the ears that happen to be some-what more backward in ripening than the rest. By perse-vering in this system for a few years, he may multiply thisnew selection so as to procure a full stock, both to supplyhimself and to sell to his neighbours; and he continues tokeep up this selected variety, free from blending, by the pro-cautions already detailed. It is obvious, that any other qua-lity or combination of qualities, that may be considered asimportant, may be selected and multiplied by a similar con-secutive attention.
In a manner somewhat similar to that just mentioned, werethe two famous varieties of oats, called Church’s oats, and Po-tatoe oats, first procured and multiplied. And a selected va-riety of wheat, now in high estimation in the s uth-cast ofScotland , under the name of Thin-chaffed or Hunter’s wheat,is said to have originated from a few ears accidentally obser-ved by Mr Hunter of Tynefield, while riding past a farm ata considerable distance from home. From an experimentmade by the celebrated Lord Karnes, it would appear thatthe produce of changed seed exceeds that of old seed at therate nearly of L. 26 per cent *.
* Gentleman Farmer, p. 327 to 336.
It is certainly advisable to change seed wheat or any other grain for seed,provided better be obtained by the change j but of this the farmer ought to bewell assured, from his own experience, before he changes seed that has given himfair and reasonable satisfaction. It is not the fineness of the grain that can jus-tify adopting it to any considerable eitent as seed, till by observing it under cul-