Huntsville gazette., 1883-03-24
Well.Brcd Il 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 ''flint," 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 a
long course of neglect, and through
much admixture of kinds. has in gen.
eral no fixed type, but is mongrel COM
posed of many.
To make thorough improvement,
small piece Of land should be planted by
itself, SO far isolated from other fields az
TO be beyond re ch of being fertilized
bv anything outside. The seed for this
purpose should be selected from the
most perfect type of ears that could be
found, and if the soil is unusually rich,
SO 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 matured,
every stalk that is at all below good
full size, and every one that is barren of
ears, should have the tassels cut off, in
order that none of the pollen from these
shall be allowed to fall upon any of the
newly forming ears
This course will not hinder such stalks
from bearing ears of corn as are dis
posed to; it will only tend to breed out
the habit of non bearing, as well as to
secure fertilization from a 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 will be achieved. This course
followed up for series of years would
result in the development of a set of
ears, having largely the same type
and for the most part the same number
of rows, provided always the ears with a
given number of rows had been each
time selected for seed.
The period of maturity may also be
considerably hastened by the selection
of the earliest ripening ears for continu-
ing these experiments, which of itself
will prove great achievement.
After the selection of the very best
ears for carrying forward the work OF
Improvement for the next year, the seed
for the main planting of the farm should
be taken. There ought, and doubtless
would, be a 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 prairie States has
never been overestimated 1t must con-
tinue to form the basis of the farming
system of these States, and deserves q
more careful consideration at the hands
of those engaged in this pursuit. The
average yield per acre for this gram is
capable of being largely increased, and
1t should be done. The lands upon
which it is grown are annually becom-
ing of greater value, and to keep pace
with this increased value and render the
business remune:a'ive heavier crops
must be groWp.-8uyliagsea Ha~ssys