Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1884-03-21
DaiIp Kenneber 5nurnaI.
On Selecting Seeds.
By CHARLES E. WARREN.

Too much importance cannot be attached
to the use of good seed. and there can be
no time so favorable as the present to
make proper selection. A very large
proportion of farmers are cheating them
selves year after year by using seed of
poor and inferior quality. perchance in
jured by rain at time of harvest or later,
and frost bitten-or may be injured by
heating in the bin after harvest; or mixed
with other grains or some OF the almost
numberless varieties of foul seed that,
growing with it. hinder its proper growth,
or choke it altogether. 1t is well settled
principle of growth and production in the
vegetable kingdom, that like produces
like
Seed corn is almost universally select
ed and saved at husking time, and care is
taken to save the best ears from well pro-
portioned and well developed stalks. and
for this carefulness and forethought.
comes improvement in the crop from year
TO year. With the same care in Sc
lecting beans for seed at time of harvest
from the most prolific and well developed
stalks. this crop might be kept up, and the
idea Of beans running out" would never
be advanced. But when the seed was not
thus selected, let such as are to be used
for seed be carefully and-picked. 1t pays
to raise good. clean crop of any kind OF
beans in particular. and by picking over.
not only may all immature and damaged
ones lie rejected, but those other varieties
that have become mixed with them. can
also be culled out.
Da,h.Du har.I 10 ho1 &c
secure some for seed of Your neighbor.
who has some that is plump and clear. If
you are sowing wheat, you may better
your crop by change of seed. An oc-
casional change Of seed, even for the same
variety from some remote locality, is a
help towards success with this crop.
Potatoes are cheap this year, and large
quantities are being fed to farm animals.
Try this year and carry out the recon-
mendations of myself in former COM
muncation, and later of NJ. F.. on the
same point. And as you are feeding them
from day to day to your stock. select the
best, the medium sized ones for seed and
not as usual plant the very large, or very
small ones. Have an eve also to healthy,
bright appearance.
Do not sow those late harvested oats,
that scarcely get ready for the scythe be-
fore the frost. More than likely they are
of light weiget- and inferior quality.
Many farmers delay securing their grass
seed. hoping it may be cheaper as the sea-
son advances. Then not having it at hand
when it is wanted, they take up with an
article that does not suit them. because
there is no other in the market, and they
must have it at once. Have an eye early
on all kinds OF seed that you expect to buy,
that is offered for sale, and when you see
good article secure it. even if you pay
an extra price. In this mater of good
seed. do not let any false impressions of
economy deceive you. You cannot afford
to spend your time caring for a crop
growing from poor seed. Good seed is
cheap at the highest price it is likely to
reach under any condition of the market,
as compared with poor seed at a very low
cost. Let every farmer score ten at least,
toward the reward he desires to receive at
harvest, by using this year none but the
best of seed.