Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1877-08-08
Selecting Seed Germ.

Two generations agoya farmer of this |
not otherwise conspicu- |
GUS, gained quitea local reputation as a
grower of prolific corn M0sV of his
stalks had two, and many three ears,
and he sold much of his good corn for
seed at about double the usual prices.
The last two ofhis sons have died since
the war, but neither Of them had kept1
up the standard ofeorn which they re-
ceived with their fathers acres. A few
years. neglect was SDniotent to lose the
result attained by man years ofpatient
and careful selection
Inpfoxed agriculture dld not meet
with much ncourag cement in those days,
1 suspect. Nv lnformant, now over
seventy years old, told me that when a
young man he went to buy some of this
corn for seed, shut he charged me dol
lar bushel, and corn was only worth
two dollars and half a barrel Is bus.,)
and l came away without any. l
couldn't stand the price ~ Yet he was
man Of more than average intelli-
genee, has been sent to represent his
county in the State Legislature, and
was, and still is, a physician of fair
practice. But. if people did not en-
courage improvements in agriculture,
they had at least very high idea of
what an improvement ought to effect,
for was told further that people stop
ped buying this seed corn after a while,
as they found that it would only make
two ears to stalk on strong ground,
that on thin soil it would set two ears,
but they would be defective, while COM
mon seed would probably make one
sound ear, though small. So instead of
seeking to bring the soil up to the ca
pacity of the seed, they preferred a seed
of as low a capacity as the soil. In
their view, the seed to be really good
must be capable Of making two ears to
stalk, regardless of the land in which
it was planted! May not this glimpse
| give an idea Of what. Virginia agricul-
ture was fifty years ago? =
One item in the practice Of this un-
honored prophet of agriculture may, per-
haps, be of interest to mine editor at
Waushakum Farm He always selected
his seed from the top ear of the double
| or treble bearing stalks. The expert
y
top ears gave the best results. Will
the Scientific Farmer tell us if there is
anything in this idea contrary to science
or sense and ifnot, Is there anything
in botanical science to corroborate it?
Rs0t.Pruning of Corn In Southern Farm.
ing.
1t is common practice in many parts
a.
through the section from the. James
River to the Gulf, to ''lay by" corn by
going through with one-horse mould
| board pillow, cutting deep and throwing
all the earth possible to the plant, and
this often as late as when the tassels are
shooting. The roots are cut and ex-
posed in way shocking to farmer not
accustomed to it and ignorant of the
NEW theory of tillage." The practice
is justified by its results, ifthe testimony
of many may be believed. Ihave heard
many reasons given for its good effects,
some ofwhich did not strike me as very
forcible. A gentleman in Alabama gave
reason for his practice which will, l
think, rejoice the heart ofhim into whose
hands the new theory" is specially
committed. for the strong confirmation
it gives. He said i: Il don't know why
it is, but it makes the corn set better
it appears as though corn will not set
ears SO well. unless it is plowed deep
late in the season."
When the theory Of root-pruning is
generally recognized and practiced upon,
it will be long step forward in agri-
culture the Southern farmer, when be
knows why the late deep blowing helps
the corn so much, will be able to help it
much more thoroughly and intelligently.
anticipate great pleasure IN read
ing all the papers on the ''new theory"
conneetedly when they are completed.
We get them in such very small INSTALL
ments that, though interesting, they
give but fragmentary and rather I'M
satisfying view of the question. They
will bear good deal Of re-reading, and
some good, hard study.
FRANKLIN SHERMAN.
Ash Groee Farm, Tienna, Fairfar. Va.
| Let our friend cut across stalk of
corn at each joint, just. below the bloom.
He will find the top ear further develop
ed than the lower ones. In other
words, the upper embryo seems to have
a stronger hereditary character than the
others. This seems to be fact, vet it
does not follow with US that the upper
ear of the stalk is necessarily larger at
harvest. ELS.
Scientific Farmer.