The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1875-01-14
The Next Corn Crop-Saving Seed.

1HE present ana prospective hlgh
price of corn will undoubtedly stimulate
| the planting of increased acres Of this
important grain next spring, and if the
season be propitious the West may again
realize an extraordinary crop, perhaps
equaling those of 1912. There is, how
| ever, no reason to think that the crop of
| 1875 can, in any event, become so low
| in price as to be unremunerative to the
producer, as was that of 1872; for the
reason that the country will be entirely
drained OF corn before the new crop
comes in, SO that it will require fully one
half an ordinary crop to make good the
quantity usually carried by farmers and
buyers for consumption from one year to
| another.
Even if the price should be compare
lively low, there is no grain so easily or
so cheaply kept, in suitable cribs, nor
| one where the chances of loss are so
light. Hence it will always pay to keep
corn when the price is below the rate of
production; for it has never been known
in the history of the West when this
grain did not reach paying price to the
producer within three years from the
time when the value ran so low that it
could not be profitably sold.
Those who took the advice given by
the Western Rural two years ago to crib
and hold corn have since had reason to
congratulate themselves. Many have
realized handsomely. One instance we
could name in Illinois, where the surplus
crop held, amounting to $4,000 bushels,
was sold in Baltimore within few cents
OF $1.0O per bushel, under a special con-
tract; an integer in which was exceed
ing low freights on the large amount
shipped.
One of the difficulties connected with
the holding of any farm product for a
higher market is that in order to do so un-
derstandingly one must not only keep
himself posted as to the probable as well
as the actual productions of the country,
but also the holder must be informed
upon the law of supply and demand, SO
that advantage may be taken of the mar
ket just at the right time.
This rule will not only apply to corn
but also to all other productions of the
farm. tits the comprehensive study and
the perfect understanding of finance that
enables the capitalist to operate and win;
the lack of it or a non-apprcciation of
the situation that causes him to fail.
This may be regarded as depression
from the subject, but it is moro closely
connected with it than many will sup
pose, for any farmer is and must neces-
sarily be holder of products fo- rise
in price, else he is at the mercy of the
buyer.
If our proposition be true, that there
will be large areas of corn planted next
spring; and if the opinion which we
now express, that next season will be a
favorable one for corn, and which is
founded upon the fact that we have had
two Indifferent seasons, then, in consid-
Grafton of the fact that there will be but
little surplus to carry the farmers over
until the new crop is ripe, it will be the
true policy for every planter to force
certain portion of the next crop forward
as fast as possible. To this end it will
be necessary that the best land be Sc
lected. If fall plowed, SO much the bet
ter; for it may often be prepared and
planted in favorable time, and which
subsequent bad weather might prevent
IT the land had to be plowed in the
spring. For all farmers know that early-
planted corn often comes up and does
well, when later paintings fail. Now
this carly-plantcd corn will be ripe and
available for feeding purposes long be-
fore the general crop, and thus enable
the farmer to sell an equal quantity of
old corn early next fall, which he must
otherwise reserve to feed.
OF the first Importance in this connec-
ton is that the seed, not only for the
early planting, but also for the whole
crop, shall be of the strongest vitality
TO insure this 1t is necessary that it has
not been frozen until it is fully hard and
dry; it Is better that 1t be not frozen at
al, and that it be not placed in I
compact pile where it will be
likely to sweat and absorb moist.
ure and then freeze. II these condk
tions have been secured, the seed
being perfectly ripe, every grain should.
under ordinari.y Favorable circum-
stances, grow. Its we'll known that the
Indians have but little dimculty IL he