The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1875-03-18

lief that 1t is necessary to change the
seed every two or three years. This has
been proved as much an error as that
shingles laid in the wrong time Of the
moon will make leaky roof. But, says
one, no man can afford the tedious proc
ess Of selecting only plump kernels of
the small grains. We don't expect you
to. There is much easier way, and
one that will answer we'll enough.
How? Arrange your fanning-mlll with
sieves that will pass the smaller grains
and carry over only the largest and
plumpest grain. Let the sieve so incline
that this will be easy. When you have
got double the seed you want take
scoop and throw the grain across the
barn floor. Thus, those grains having
the greatest specific gravity will fly the
farthest, and these are what you want
for s-ed. Continue this for few years,
and, with good care, see if the improve
ment is not sufficient to warrant the ex-
pense.
Oh! this is not new? Well, we did not
say it was-there is not much new in this
world-but it is an improvement on the
old plan of saving seed. and if carefully
followed for ten years will result in as
great improvement in our small grain as
the first fifty years did in the improve
ment of the old Durham cattle, now
called Short-Horns.
Why not, then, breed long headed
grain? There would be no objection to
your keeping pedigree. A Mr.. Hallet
did SO in England and became famous.
We have for years been sending territory
bred cattle back to England, with long
pedigrees and at longer prices. Perhaps,
one of these days, we may send seed
grain there, with pedigrees and prices to
pay; who knowss Suppose we try.
As regards seed-corn there are few
farmers but use good deal of care in
its selection, and yet there are capabili-
ties here that few suspect. One Of the
chief difficulties of this grain is that it
often fails to grow. If properly cured
and kept it is as sure to terminate as any
other grain. If proof is wanted, observe
how sure corn is to come up early and
stand an indefinite amount of cold
weather when it happens to be plowed
under In the fall, or has been tramped
into the ground in the feeding-yard. Like
early planted potatoes, it will lie in the
ground and remain sound and at the
proper time come up all right, while that
taken from the crib is bound to act GU
riously, and, perhaps, rot in the ground
after all.
The Indians used to save their seed by
burying it in hole in the ground in
some dry locality and protecting it from
damps Thus the kernels undergo a
gradual change-prepare, in fact, slowly
to terminate by the conversion of the
starch into sugar. The next best way is
to dry the corn in the fall. Smoke it a
little and place it where it will not freeze.
Not that freezing kills corn if it be per-
fectly dry. But it is the drying of this
or any other grain excessively, when tits
to be used for seed, that we object to. 1t
is bad.
Again, no seedcorn should ever be
planted until it has first been tested.
This is easy enough. Take hammer
and knock off few grains from near the
butt of hundred of ears, selecting from
those you intended to plant ears that, if
you had plenty, you might possibly dis
card. Mix all together, and, taking
twenty at hazard, plant them in box,
giving the same conditions, as near as
possible, that they would receive in the
ground. Now, mark the time of germina-
ton and of coming up, and the time they
take in coming up; and the proportion
which grew will give a good idea of the
value of your seed-corn.-Chicngo Tribune.