The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1844-06-14
SELECTING SEED CORN.

SELECTING SEED CORN.
The following Letter was forwarded by
Mr.. James Graham, from Washington, 10
The Editor OF The Carolina Gazette, al
Rulherlold,on, n. c., in 1887. As this is
a subject of consideration with farmers gen.
orally, We extract il for their especial ben !
cht:-
Near Nottingham, Prince Georges Co.
January 20. 1887.
SIR: received yours of the l4th, max
ing inquiry respecting the " Maryland
Coru," which you, understood had raised. !
have tho pleasure to say that ! have
brought this corn to lis high state OF periec.
ton by carefully selecting the best seed 10
the field for long course Of years, having
especlai reference TO those stalks which
produced the most ears. When the corn
was husked, | then made re selection,
taking ohly that which appeared sound and
4 fully ripe, SaYing regard 10 the deepest
aud best color, as well as TO the size OF The
cob. In The spring, before sbeIling tho
corn, examined il again, and selected that
which was the best 10 all respects. Ia
shelhng the corn, omitted to take the II
regular kernels at both the large and small
ends have carefully followed this mode
of selecting seed corn for trenfy-tpo o.
tueaty three years, and stll continue to do
so. VI hen first commenced, it was with
a common kind Of corn, fer there was none
other in tins part Of the country. Ii any
other person undertook the same expert
ment did mel hear Of IT. do not believe
others ever exercised the patience to bring
the experiment TO tue present state OF per.
feclion. Al FIRST, ! was troubled 10 find
, stalks with even tieo good ears on them,
perhaps one good ear and one small one, OF
one good car aud nupbln," Ii was sew
eral Years before | could discover much
LeneGt resulting from my efforts however
i a, Iength the quality and quantity began {
! improve, aud the improvement was Their
very rapid. At present, do not pretenC
] 10 lay up any seed without il comes from
+ stalks which bear -four five or six ears.
have seen stalks bearing eight ears. One
T or my neishbors informed me that he had
j single stalk with ten perfect cars on II,
/. and that he intended to send the same 10
d tho museum at Baltimore. la addition 20
. the number of ears, and Of course the great
k increase in quantity uRshelled, 1t may be
T mentioned that il yields much more than
!. common corn when sheied. Some gentle
), men, in whom have full confidence, IN
q formed me they shelled barre! (ten bush,
[ els Of ears Of my kind Of corn which meas
{, ured little more than sis bushels The
I common kind Of corn will measure about
c five bushels only. | believe raise double
or nearly so, 10 what could with any 9th
0 err coin | have over seen. | generally
i plan, the corn about the fret Of May, nnt
d place the hills five feet apart each way, ant
T have two stalks IN hill. can supply
you with all the seed you may need, and
/. suppose have now in my courthouse fifty
a aud perhaps more, stalks with the corn OF
+, Them as il grew IN the field, and none witt
II less than four, and some SIR or screen ear
!. on then. will with pleasure send yot
) some Of these slaks, and also some seet
J corn, il can get an opportunity.
t. Early last spring lei George Law. Esq.
Of Baltimore CITY, have some of this sect
e corn; lie sent il To his friend in Illinois
c with instructions how TO manage H. 4
i, few weeks since he informed me that th'
n. increase was one hundred and ttrentg bhSh
is els on an acre ; that there was no corn Il
u Illinois like it, and that il produced NOR
lie fodder than any other kind. have sup
| died ma " friends with seed corn, bu
II some of them have planted 1t with othe
as corn, and will, fear, find it degenerate.
III have lately been cuQulred of II thu
lis corn vas not later than other kinds! II
nd rather earlier certsinly not later. Cor
planted in moist or wet soil will mol ripe
so quick as that which is planted on dr.
soil. la the former, there will be iour
cy more dampness in tho cob, although I'll
kernel may appear equally ripe in both
Oh believe have answered most OF yot
ed inquiries. hope have not exaggerate
or i have no motive for dong so. ran
" but lido corn TO SELL as tobacco is my PFl
le cipai crop. Should fail to send you son
ce seed this spring, will next summer gath'
il, some stalks with the corn, fodder, and ia
CHI sells ind all, as they grow, and send TO 20
1t tina, you may Judge yourself of the super
ro- ority Of this over the common kind oil cor
lto Yours, &c.
di. THOS. N. BADEN.
n Hon. ii. Ellsworth,
-, Commissioner Of Patents,
ie' Washington CRY.
nc rBN> Sx,n AluvpvpS ~ the uInsyPl