Daily Republican., 1885-03-31
AGRIC T u K A L

SCI ECTISG CORN FOR PLANTING.
A subscriber in Stow, Mass, asks us
to tell him from which part OF the ear
the best kernels are obtained for plant
ing, as some tell him to select the top |
kernels, others those from the butt, |
while still others recommend planting |
all the kernels on the ear. 1t Ii well
known that many careful New England
farmers have made practice Of reject |
ing the small kernels from the tip of
the ears when Smelling seed corn for |
planting. Some have been particular
to REJECT the crooked, I'll shaped butt
kernels also. We know of no one who
has attempted TO investigate the ques.
ton systematically, excepting DR.
Sturtevant, Director Of the New York
Experiment Station.
He told us In personal conversation, II
several years ago, that certain eccen-
trio farmer, who had 1ainej reputa
ton for raising good seed corn, made 3
point Of plan ting all the kernels that
grew on the ear, and claimed 1t neces-
sary to do 30 to keep a variety from
changing its character. Within the
past few years, DIR. Sturtevant has
made neutrality-suspicious. for the pur-
pose Of testing the relative value of corn
from different parts OF the ear, and the
results are published In the New York
Station reports for the year 1882 and
1888.
In the first report In an account Of
an experiment in planting a strip OF
land. dropping the corn length wise OF
tue rows, In such n manner that the
kernels would maintain the same rela-
tive position TO each other that they held
in the tar; that IL TO say, the butt ker.
ne IL were all at one end of the rows, the
middle kernels coming next in order,
and the top kernels at an opposite END
Of the rows. 1t was thought that, In
this method of arrangement, any varia-
tionin the character of the product would
be noticeable to the eye during the
growth OF the corn, but little, II any,
difference would be discerned. The
butt and tip kernels terminated and
grew just about In the same proportion
as the kernels from the middle OF the
Job
IN the Accurate calculations made
fiom tho harvested product the
following surprising results we're
| shown:
l. The tip kernels were the most pro.
| lifio of goS d corn.
1 mo Uutt WOAo mohN
| prolific of good corn than the central
kernels.
3. The tip kernels bore longer eart
than Tho other kernels, the butt ker
nels the next, and the central kernel,
the shortest. This fact was apparent Il
the sight as the different lots lay on thu
ugound after huskiDg.
A. The understandable ears from tn
| butt were distinctly heavier than thos
from the central kernels.
5. The butt kernels furnished NOR
uDmerchautable corn than did the cep
trail kernels, ard the central kernel
more than did the top kernels.
+ The same year another plat wa
planted, one-half with perfect see
from selected seed ears, the other hal
with good kernels from very inferio
= looking ears, the yield in both exper
ments being 80 near uniform that n
conclusion could be drawn in favor {
II the selected ears over those which wer
cooked and twisted. From experiment
concluded In 1888, 1t seems reasonsbl
10 conclude that seed corn IL equal
good from either portion OF Oh
ear, certainly that the tip kerpe
are fully equal to other kernels fl
planting.
/, In corn ears that are we'll capped ov'
Il at the tip end, the kernel having mo-
room, are less compressed, and take
n different shape from those on the mil
" die of the ear and 1t is quite probab
that there is less difference In the &C
| ual weight of the two forms than OF
| might suppose from q casual glanc
| Tip kernels that are imperfect, or n
half filled up with starchy materis
would certainly start into life with lie
apparent vigor than kernels that we
| plump and full. Yet, when the roc
! get hold of the soil, and the plant b
| comes independent of he parent kern'
which will be in a very few days aft
terminating, it may soon catch up wi
or even outgrow its neighbor fro
plump seed. The conclusion TO
drawn fl om these experiments is. tn
it is certainly safe TO plant all the soul
keenels on AN ear.
III FARM GARDENING.
MI The farmer who continues to RAJ
the same crop that he grew beft
towns and manufacturing villat
i sprang up all around him, makes
great mistake. In the older States,
90 least there are but few farms not will
an hours or two hours ride Of m
ket. IL ia worth while for farmers
such localities to consider II they c
afford TO raise field corn, when sw
corn will pay them much better. Ii
true that sweet corn needs high Il
val puring, but when the ears are off tn
will be- heavy crop OF the very b
fodder.
The ears will bring in ready mon
Just how much will depend upon
market, but safe to say, more than
n crop of ripe corn would be worth. II
10 a mistake to grow late potatoes, to
"a dug when every one else has potato
al and prices are low, while early potat
ER will bring several times the price
,y late ones 1t Is so with other Gro
d. There are but few garden vegetat
81 that may not be grown "a farm Gro
~, ny and it IL a mistake TO raise prod
L. that will bear transportation frou
distance, instead of that suited u
. near market, and must be disposed
Ell at once. A farmer, on the other ha
oV' would make q mistake, were he to
mo vote his land to new set of crops
Kill once.
yer He should determine to grow u
out things that pay the best, and to gra
III ally work into a more profitable X
ent of farming. Those who propose
u&f do this, will find sweet corn and p
= toes excellent crops to begin W
oH: Others will pay better, but these
unt best to prepare the land for other
4 ~ vunn1d h