Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1880-09-29

tDdDk YOUR luskN StdES lo' tlt I'll I
aud trouble" which saved The majority
OF yor- feathered tribe.
Selecting Seed Corn.
Good seed is the accompaniment Of
good farming. 1t is probable that
many farmers, usually good c'l'ula.-
tors, lose much moro in not selecting
the best seed, than they are aware Of,
and we doubt not that a small trial on
adjoining plots of two varieties of seed
would show such differences as would
be most surprising. On Uaushakum
Farm in 1874, we had difference Of
80 bushels of corn to the acre on ad-
joining plots, to be ascribed 10 differ
ence OF seed, if to anything II would
have paid us to have expended a dOl'
lar quart for our seed corn. rather
han to have used the inferior seed.
Good seed is rarely sold at too high a
price for the fsi mer 10 buy, and cer-
tainly costs but little for the farmer 10
select his own seed from the b.st of bis
crops. and from the best of his spec.
mems.
We will express our own ideas Of
seed corn, and how II should be Sc
lected. The FIST essential is 5ecundi-
iy. In order to OBJ ain this quality we
should gather our seed corn from the
win-beoring stalks, or better still.
from those rarer stalks containing tlree
or more. From the pile Of ears thus
collected, we must select again with
reference to desirable qualities for our
crop. Let US first reject all those ears
which contain more rows than We de-
sire. Then those ears which have
uDeyennes Of cob, or too large cob.
Again, those ears in which the corn
lies irregular and loose, or in which
gaps appear, and show the cob. BY
this time our pile has been very large
" reduced, but from what remains We
must still discard those ears which are
not filed out plump 10 the butt and
to the top. From ne small remain
der, we must then select those ears
which are the longest.
In this way, we nave q small guam
tiiy OF seed, it is true, but we depend
next year upon getting a large num-
Der Of such cars as we desire, and soon
a quantity sudicient for our own seed
ing, and TO spare for the market. a
new variety is being originated, and a
variety which must possess value.
It's a difficult matter 10 find a per-
feet ear Of corn, or indeed a perfect
seed Of any kind, and yet it is as We
approach perfection Of seed, that we
must anticipate The largest gains. fla
farmer has not corn which is saiisf.c
tory, and can buy better Of his neigh
Dor, then let him buy ofthat neighbor.
If his neighbours is no better than bis
own then let him seek the scotsman or
some other reliable source. AT any
rate, plant good seed.
What portion Of the ear should be
planted ? We think there is reason
10 believe that the butt kernels furnish
corn that ripens earlier .han The Ups.
II this be go, thsn in order to get a
uniform field, we would plant either
entirely from butts, cen!ers, or tips.
As rule, however, the largest and
best formed kernals occupy the midi
die of the ear, and these in practice
re select. The larger the kernel, the
more nutiment the seeding plant has
to draw upon before it secures foot.
hold in the soil.
Another source Of benft is in the
character Of the plan! from which we
take aeed for use. The less the fod-
der and the more the corn to the
acre, the better We like it. Yet this
kind of selection, united 10 the other,
is most difficult 10 carry out 10 p-ac.
ice.