Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1883-04-25
Change OF Seed.

nS 4uoVa''on'
sofa informs us that his wheat crop wen
on an average 10 bushels of wheat more
to the acre than the crops of his neigh
bors did. His land was in no bettel
condition than theirs was, and the cultiva
ton of the grain was no more thorough
and efficient. The only difference was
they sowed seed they had raised, or used
that which was grown in the peighbor
hood, while he purchased his in the Red
River valley. This tells the whole story
Here isl lesson that should be remembered
by those who are engaged in raising
wheat Sure enough, a change of seed
works wonders, and | will wagerlthat his
wheat was of better quality if 1t was Of
the same variety as that planted by his
neighbors."
l have seen good deal at various
times in the many agricultural papers
that read, advocating the necessity of a
change of seed, or of seed from distant
localities. Now want to relate my own
observation and experience extending
over period of rs years of farm life, and
then have some of your experienced
writer's and practical farmers tell US why
such things are.
| have now lived in Iowa for 90 years
and have spent every year upon the farm
and am now on the farm adjoining the
one ON which my father first settled.
| When We came to Iowa we brought with
us two bushels of corn for seed, planted it
the following spring on both second crop
land and on sod. 1t matured we'll planted
as late as May 80, although it was brought
| from central Illinois. The same variety
we have planted every successive year,
either upon the same farm or one adjoin-
ing, and are still using 1t as stand by.
1t still yields as full a crop as it has at any
time during the 20 years.
A brother of the writer now occupies
the old homestead farm and the past
season he planted the same variety of
corn upon the same piece of ground on
which the first crop was planted, and
which has produced either corn, wheat or
oats for 80 successive years, and he
harvested last fall so or more bushels per
acre of good sound corn. sufficiently
matured to select seed from at time of
crbbing.
Another instance, a practical farmer and
for several terms director of our county
agricultural society, told the writer that
for % successive years he had planted the
same variety of corn upon his farm,
selecting his seed from his own crop, and
that his yield was as good as any of his
neighbors, that he was satisfied to con
tnue to plant of the variety and of his
own growing.
AS to wheat l find about the same
experience. In the spring of 1856 the
first Canada Fife wheat was sown in this
(Clay) township, and for five or six years
it was the best variety grown in the
country, then some other varieties were
introduced and tried, some doing we'll
and others doing poorly. After lapse
of 10 or - years new importations of
the Fife were brought from Canada,
Wisconsin and Minnesota. Some farmers
still sowing of the seed successfully rails I'd
in the same locality. I among others,
some seasons getting average returns with |
my neighbors and in some instances better
yield and better quality.
The crop of 1876 was almost failure
and the wheat was poor in quality and
badly shrunken, but the following spring
sowed 1S acres, sowing of my shrunken
Canada Fife seed which had sown since
1855 the Is acres yielding 440 bushels,
Dr. "a - bushels per acre of choice plump
wheat, weighing little over 60 pounds
Der bushel test measure.
In the spring of 1875 went about eight
niles and got seed wheat to sow, which
lad been grown on clay soil or timber
and it was of the first crop grown in the
tate after bringing the seed from Mime
ota, and was very nice and plump. 1t
of roI nInaoo lot, |
having changed my seed thought that
would doubtless have an abundant yield
nd of the best quality, but instead of 9
ither got only about six bushels per s.
ere of the most shrunken and shriveled y
rain l ever raised. l had the same !
ear some of the Canada Fife that gave q a
lir yield and quality, sown on the same @
ED and under no more favorable circum- t.
tances, only that the seed had been
grown in the same locality, &
nd perhaps thereby had become accli-
mated, if so be that is a more favorable
circumstance, which am almost inclined
D think it is.
In relation TO corn experience has =
aught me that when it is brought from
istant southern locality that it will grow :
acre stalky, much taller and will be later
n maturing Hence the necessity, /
link, of having seed that has been accli-
mated to the latitude in which it is to be :
.rown. And right here want to drop a
1ord in regard to the coming crop for
owa. 1t is now pretty we'll known that
large quantity of seed corn will be
'lanted in Iowa this spring that has been
.rown in Illinois, Missouri, Kansas and
Nebraska, That being the fact another
act is likely to follow, and that is, that
Mess the planting is done early, or the
eason is very favorable to the maturing
f the corn crop, or the fall frosts unusu
lily late, we will have larger proportion
f poor and immature corn than if we had
N ample supply of home grown seed.
would like TO have the farmers of Iowa
make some close observations on this
'oint and not forget it next fall at the
roper time for securing seed for the
ext crop.
Here is good opportunity now offered
IS to test the Change OF Seed" question
t least as to corn, and as it is a case of
ecessity let us try and profit by it if there
We any profit in the case. And in conclu.
ion let me say that if my observations
md experiences are true, then hold the
Tub over the man who is about to make
change of seed, especially of corn from
outh to north. j. Q. RATHBONE.
Hardin Co., Iowa.