The Red Cloud chief., 1881-11-10

Seed.Csrn ant Corn Culture.
Happily much more interest has been
.howa during the last fex years in the
selection aai preservation oi seei corn
tsan was formerly th- cave. .nf vet The
intsres; l. not - universal ~ the I'm
portsBce 81 The matter demands. and
we would Ike 10 see. Among At our
other ms.or.unss this season. which
have resulted IN an inferior crop Of
corn. q considerable amount OF poor
So q operated toward the same result,
and If a few Suggestions TO ihOse Sbo
have thus suffered will aid them to
AVOID a Ike difficulty in the future. We
shal be abundantly repaid for making
them. and they viii b. equally vel paid
for reaiing them. IL is M longer
thought possible to procure the besi
corn from the poorest seed. or 70 groS
any crop. Inferior or otherwise. irsm
seed wIich l. destitute Of vitality.
Perhaps IL would not DC correct 70 say
tha; il wa ever thoaght thai these
could BE- done: put certainly In times
past /, has looked as If n kernel Of
corn was all that Was desirable. re
CARELESS 81 it, intrinsic merit la u
rapid march of progress IN al arts n
industries, we have learned man. new
things IN regard 10 the workings at na-
ture, AID have learned 20 apply the
principle. OF science to al our sorS IN
Inc belis. In the growing Of cora Ne
have been Taught that the principle OF
like producing like IS a. applicable ~
il is in the breeding oi live stock, and II
there are any who still persist IN
planting pool seed. Or rather IN
ierior seed, they are still grOwsns
inferior corn with what would seem -
be discouiaging reZula-it Without
wasting time OIL space IA elaborai NJ
upon this phase Of the subject, u -
quite sufficient To say that We must
have good seed, seed that IS possessed
Of vitality. and seed which Is liAe the
corn we wish 10 produce. To this MAY
be added that a crop which j. 50 vastly
important to us as individuals. and is
a Nation. as corn. should receive the
best and most studious attention in its
! culture from the selection and p~reserva-
ton of the seed to the harvesting Of the
/ crop; and il j. pertinent TO remark IN
this connection that u farms do not
average what they should in corn. No,
only is this owing often 10 O seed.
and imperfet cultivation. but not infrc-
g~uently 10 poor ar comparatively poor
land. Poor land l. not profitable under
any circumstances, but il never proves
more Improbable than when planted
10 corr. II the land is in tine condi-
ton. the crops will be enabled 10 get a
good start in the spring. and get out oi
] sIA a.. rAray all ANtN a. hay
common dangers. During the pas,
season, which began so late that a grea,
deal OF corn will not even reach the
dignity of respectable fodder. We have
seen corn upon old barn sites. for in
stance. that was e1ual TO any corn in
the most favorable seasons, while al
o,her corn in the ncighbDrhoJd was
backward and unpromising. Indeed
We have not seen a single field of corn
this season. Oh extra rich land. that was
not in excellent cond ton. II we would
consult our wi interests. therefore. we
will bring up the condition of our land.
One lesson has been SD prominently
taught this ear tina, il would seem i'm.
possible for any not to recognize IL.
The late wet spring of the present year
was disastrous to the corn. The ground
was SD full of water that the roots
could not penetrate 10 any depth, and.
when the drought began. they were
near the surface. exposed 10 the full
force of the long, dry spell. Drainage
Is the lesson that such n state of things
teaches. and if any II has seen athor-
oughly drained field of corn this sea
son, he will profit by the lesson. for he
has seen a good stand of corn, in most
excellent condition. In a ride through
port ons OF Illinois not long since.
where the corn was literally ~burncduF.
we came to 4 field where the corn wac
OF vigorous growth. looking "a healthy
and promising rs any corn eve looked.
The secret was in drainage. The land
was thoroughly drained.
Returning 70 the subiectof seed corn.
the strictcst care should be exercised
in its selection while it i; yet in the
field, on he stalk, and before the frosts
come. Keeping constantly in view the
principle of ike producing like, go
through the field and select such ears
aS are perfect, and such corn rs is
wished TO be produced. Place this in
some position. safe from rats and nice.
rs will enable il TO be smoked and
artiiicially dried. Tying it up, and sus-
pending it from something is a good
plan. Then thoroughly smoke and dry.
The creosote which from the
smoke is a p~reservative. and the corn
will be found in the spring TO be full OF
vitality and vigor. This has been our
usual plan. and when we have neglect
ed it we never raised as good corn rs
We did when we followed il. Care in
this respect will certainly lessen the
complaints about the failure of cur
ing q stand of corn, which are now so
prevalent that they indicate that about
one quarter OF the seed corn used every
year is worthless Western Rural.