The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1883-05-30
weIl.Bred Seed Corn.

The great variety of type in ears Of
our dent corns Is fact that has not es-
capped the attention of any person en-
gagged in its culture. These varieties
are not common to any considerable ex-
tent, with the ssfiint," or smooth
varieties. Nearly every type of these
varieties is reproduced with great ex-
actness, the ears will grow in the same
form, and have the same number of
rows, and be of quite similar length, to
the ears from which the seed came.
The dent varieties on the contrary, by q
long course of neglect, and through
much admixture Of kinds. has in gem
eral no fixed type, but is mongrel COM
posed Of many.
To make q thorough improvement, 8
small piece Of land should be planted by
itself, 50 far isolated from other fields as
to be beyond re4ch of being fertilized
by anything outside. The seed for this
purpose should be selected from the
most perfect type of ears that could be
found, and II the soil is unusually rich,
50 much the better. This field ought
not to be much less than one fourth Of
an acre in size, and should receive as
good care as the grower could bestow
upon It. After the tassels have ap-
peared, they should be closely watched,
and before the pollen has mstured,
every stalk that is at all below q good
full size, and every one that is barren of
ears, should have the tassels cut of, in
order that none of the pollen from these
shall be allowed to fail upon any Of the
newly forming ears.
This course will not hinder such stalks
from bearing ears of corn as are dis
posed to; il viii only tend to breed out
the habit of non-bearing, as well as to
secure fertilization from q more healthy
stock.
The earliest maturing ears, having
the highest type of development, should
be selected from among those grown in
this manner for continuing the expert
ment the next year, when one step In
advance viii be achieved. This course
followed up for series of years would
result in the development of o set OF
ears, having largely the same type
and for the most part the same number
of rows, provided always the ears with q
given number of rows had been each
time selected for seed.
The period of maturity may also be
considerably fastened by the selection
of the earliest ripening ears for continu.
ing these experiments, which of itseli
win prove q great achievement.
After the selection of the very bes,
ears for carrying forward the work oi
Improvement for the next year, the seed
for the main planting Of the farm should
be taken. There ought, and doubles.
would, be q marked improvement In
the size and uniformity of the ears with
each successive year of such practice.
The importance of the corn crop in
the agriculture of the prair1e States ha:
never been overestimated. 1t must con.
tinue to form the basis of the farming
system of these States, and deserves 8
more careful consideration at the hands
of those engaged in this pursuit. The
average yield per acre for this grain i.
capable Of being largely increased, ant
1t should be done. The lands upor
which 1t is grown are annually becom
ing of greater value, and to keep pact
with this increased value and render the
business remunerative heavier crops
must be grown.-BtrlinQton HaUbeye