SEED WHEAT.

Dunstan Times, Issue 580, 30 May 1873, Page 3

SEED WHEAT.

The‘writer of the subjoined, which we (soys a contemporary) clip from the Sydney T I’m and Country , evidently ha’ no faith iniths theory that alirivel’od wheat wi* produce a gool crop. lie says: —“Like pro luces like, therefore the plumpest and hiarieit see I oily should be sown. Wheat is one of those crops which are benefitted by a change of seed : and while the red and •arnher wheats are the most hardy, the white wheats on rich soil are productive, and bring the highest price in the market Experiments »n changing seed, however, are ti he cautiously made, and the whole crop should not he hazarded on any uncertainty; hut experimental plots for these teats may ho cultivated with advantage when practicable. Whatever seed may he chosen should be free from foul material, and also from light, imperfect grains. It is also advisable to steep the seed as preventive of mildew, smut, and other fungoid diseases. There arc seven al kinds of pickle for the purpose. A solution of blue vitriol (sulphate of copper) made by dissolving four ounces of the vitriol in five gallons of water, is very often used ; hut must ho mod with great caution, lost an excessive steeping injure the, grain. I A safe way of using this is to place the seed bn the barn floor and sprinkle the solution over it unfit the heap is thoroughly wetted, then shovel over the grain for a few minutes, and allow the superfluous moisture to drain away. Then dry thoroughly avith airslaked lime in Hue powder well mixed among it, and sow immediately. A safer » ' 1 equally effectual way is to use copperas (sulphate of iron) instead of’ he blue vitro' and allow the grain to steep in the heap for fifteen minutes before drying off avith the lime. Another satisfactory avay is to slack half a bushel of fresh lime ; n a barrel (40 gallons) of water. When the lime is settled Lie clear liquor is drawn off into a tub and - libs of sa’t dissolved in it. A barn basket should then ho p’aced in the liquor and the see l wheat poured slowly in. The plump grains will sink to the bottom, and the light or smutty ones will float, and should he skimmed off and burned, After steeping for a few minutes, the basket may he lifted out and the liquor drained off, and the grain emptied outlie barn floor, where it will quickly absorb all the moisture, and will be ready for sowing in two hours, or it may he dried off with lime as previously mentioned.

An Italian curate has been sentenced to fi.teen day’s imprisonment and three hundred francs fine for preaching an inflammaW sermon against the Government of tee country, damning them to all eternity »s unshriven excommunicated devils for-in-terfering with the property of the Church, Thomas Frame, a merchant of Glasgow, deserves honorable mention. Thirty years he compounded with his creditors, and Was legally discharged from his debts. Since then he has recovered himself, and >mt long ago paid all his old creditors double the amount of their debts and The, interest which had accrued thereupon.