Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1883-02-08
A Chat About Corn.

1 am just home from a corn show at
which L was selected to act on the award
| ing committee. The premiums-S1O
| 50, and S2.50-were offered for the ten
best ears. There were 1856 entries, and
| to my surprise the white corn comprised
more than three-fourths of the samples
| shown, there being Isl of that sort to
forty-tive of yellow, red and mixed. I
| think the fifty best samples would have
averaged more than twelve pounds to
the lot of ten ears each, which would
| make about a bushel of corn-shelled,
| not ears-to each fifty-five ears. There
were samples that weighed as high as
seventeen pounds to the lot, but the
ears were not uniform or perfect, and
weight was not considered in making
the award. The three lots that took the
premiums were white, and weighed
thirteen pounds thirteen ounces, fifteen
pounds two ounces, and fourteen pounds
three ounces respectively, the lightest
lot taking the first premium. After the
awards had been made we learned that
two sons, but all on different farms,
and that they were noted for their fine
corn and careful selection of seed, and
and many other fairs where they had
exhibited.
l believe that most farmers under
value good selected seed corn. 1 have
long been of the opinion that there was
no other way in which we could so
cheaply add to the yield of our corn
crop as by a careful selection of seed.
To add twenty or even ten per cent. to
the yield of q corn crop by extra fertili-
cation or tiIlage, will require consider
able outlay of time or money; but the
amount of seed required for an acre is
so small that the added cost is hardly
worth computing, and I know that by a
careful and persistent selection of seed
we can add more than twenty per cent.
to the yield of the corn on many farms.
l use the word "persistent, and [
consider persistence important, for he
who selects his seed corn for three years
and then fails to do it, loses all that he
has gained. do not indorse the plan
of changing seed, which is recommended
by so many, and believe it is as unwise
to change, unless you are sure of get
ting a better variety, as it would be to
do the same with herd of cattle. My
experience in seed gro wing has taught
me something of the importance of
persistence, and that it takes years to
establish variety. Nearly ten years
ago found an ear of an early variety of
sweet corn, that was dark red, and L
planted it. The product was mixed,
more than half of it being white, and
the red all shades from very pale to
blood red. 1 selected each year the
darkest colored, and in five years l had
bred out the white and established
blood-red variety. Careful selection if
followed long enough will change an
early to q late, or a large to a small
variety, or vice versa, with just as much
certainty as the same care will establish
a point in stock breeding. L like Dr.
Sturtevant's idea of s'pedigreed seed
corn" and believe that the farmer
who will breed a good variety till its
type is established will find customers
who will take his crop at prices that
will give him large profit.
The only way to grow cheap corn is to
increase the yield per acre, and we
should take every possible means to do
this. The average yield per acre for my
State (Ohio) is now about thirty-six
bushels, and it will require no argument
to show that there can not be much profit
on such crops, and this being the average
ylSlti, IlCiC IlluSG, VI SOuIS sc, Dc d 70
per cent. of the farmers whose crops fall
far below this, and who produce corn at
an actual loss. We at the West, in the
great corn-growing districts, can grow
this crop much cheaper than the
farmers of the Eastern States. [ have
for two months past been corresponding
with farmers to ascertain their estimates
of the cost of growing and delivering at
no crib Of and tho
cost, including rent, is given by them at
about S12 per acre. In 1877 L offered
several valuable premiums for the best
acre of corn, each statement to be
with detailed account of
the cost of growing and cribbing.
Nineteen reports were sent in, and the |
average cost, not allowing rent of land,
was about 80 per acre. We will estimate
the entire cost of growing and harvesting
m acre of corn at S14, and now let us
see what the crop will cost per bushel |
with different yields:
Is bushels to the acre will cost SOC. per bush. |