The Species Transmutation Debate and Agricultural Science in the Antebellum United States, 1820-1859

The paper traces a debate about species transmutation that unfolded in agricultural periodicals published in the Northeastern United States between 1820 and 1859. During the nineteenth century, numerous members of New England farming communities believed that particular environmental conditions could prompt wheat seeds to produce a variety of weed called cheat or chess. The widespread belief in the “transmutation” of wheat into chess was mobilized by testimonies shared by farmers in letters to agricultural periodicals where the topic was widely debated. The group of agricultural reformers that curated the content of these publications at the time promoted agricultural improvement by disseminating knowledge about relevant science and technology topics. The widespread discussion about the transmutation of wheat offered these editors an opportunity for sharing scientific knowledge about plant heredity and botanical classification systems, encouraging experimentation among audiences prejudiced against “book farming.” In their assessment of the theoretical contributions of botanists and practical experiments conducted by farmers, the reformers negotiated the authority of scientific expertise in the study of nature and delineated standards of scientific inquiry into agricultural matters. Their engagement with the transmutation debate contributed to the democratization and professionalization of agrarian improvement, laying the groundwork for the activities of agricultural research institutions that emerged in the second half of the nineteenth century.