Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-12-15
NORTHERN SEED CORN.
Its Planting Always Has Been Beneficial and
Should be Continued.

Hon E. B. Allen, secretary of state is q
very close observer of causes and effects
and has thoroughly practical ideas upon
ali subjects of vital Importance to Kansas
He WAS in the city during the farmers
convention here on the 18th. In speaking
/ of the convention and its objects, he said
/ lie considered the convention of vast i'm
| rortance 70 Kansas and a gathering which
would surely be productive of beneficial
| results, while its objects were he most
| praiseworthy that had been suggested in
| This state at any gathering in her history.
The matter of changing the seed coca
| sionally. and OF procuring earlier varieties
especially. is one that receives compare
lively no consideration. Farmers Will 20
on year after year, using their last year 5
crop for this years seed, not only in corn,
but in all kinds of grain. He said similar
rules would apply TO using time and
again grain raised in the same locality
and from the self same ingredients of soil,
climate, and state of cultivation, that it
had been receiving for number OF years,
that applied TO he in-breeding OF animals.
As a matter of course, the yigor of the
seed decreases, its virtues deteriorate and
its seed, the following year, terminates
more slowly, the plant grows less rapidly
and the seed natures later, until in a very
few years the farmer has land should be
able to see that he has very inferior
quality of seed. One that is longer unfit
ted for that locality and soil.
Mr.. Allen gave it as his opinion that
merely changing our seed corn frequently
by procuring simply good corn from the
more northern states of Iowa or Nebraska
would prove highly beneficial and insure
large crop. The best results, however, he
said would be obtained from planting the
best very early corn to be had in Mime
sofa.
The Doctor said, further, that the theory
advanced above was never given a more
thorough and effective test than right here
il Sedgwick, when in 1873 there was a
short corn crop, followed in 1874 by the
grasshoppers, which two seasons COM
pletely cleaned this country of corn
for seed or any other purpose, so
that in the spring of 1875 the seed
corn came from other sections, but almost
entirely from Iowa and the result was that
such crop of corn that was universally
raised in Kansas that yerr had never be
fore been equalled, nor has it since been
excelled.
Farmers from all sections OF Southern
Kansas unite in saying that every year the
farmer who procures his seed from some
more northern climate (all other conditions
being equall Will, without exception raise
a better crop than his less enterprising
neighbors, who keep on deteriorating the
quality of their seed corn. This alone,
should be sufficient to induce every far
mer to change his aeed corn next spring
and have assurance of good crop, even if
the season may not prove just what it
should If this be done, as it ought to be,
Kansas will next year see crop OF corn,
of oats and of everything else that will fill
her granaries and cause such AN influx of
money and renewed vigor, as will do more
to give vigorous impetus TO immigration
than generations of the false economy of
pursuing old methods and securing inferior
results