Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1890-01-23
Tho Farm Work-shop.

A convenient and we'll equipped work
shop is one of the essentials of the
farm. 1t need not be large nor expens-
sive, but it should be ample to afford
shelter and comfortable place to work
on rainy days or in the stormy months
of winter. A good plan is to provide
room for the workshop at one end of
the house or shed which the thrifty
farmer builds for the storage of his
farm machinery. The shop should have
workbench, wise, saw horses, and the
necessary tools for the work of con-
struction or repair. And it would be
we'll to add cheap forge and anvil for
use at times when it is not convenient
to go to the neighborhood blacksmiths.
And the farmers boys should not only
be permitted but should be encouraged
to use the tools, and learn how to keep
them in order. The average boy pos
sesses some genius for construction, as
we'll as bent toward destruction, and
the former should be developed and
directed to useful ends. Many boy
will acquire skill in mechanic arts if
given half chance. Give the boys q
chance and humor their genius wherein
it shows the least trend in the direction
of industry and utility.
Selecting Seed Corn.
Given field of corn, says Prof. San
born, how shall We proceed to select our
seed? Here again, We must bear in
mind that every characteristic is as
hereditary as are the traits of domestic
animals-disease, shape, maturity, pro-
Efficacy, etc. We must fix an ideal type
of not only the ear, but of the plant it.
al TfNCko oh pn4o
ideal type in cattle. It is q grevious
fault that in selecting seed for corn we
do it in the barn. No seed is or can be
we'll selected that is not selected in the
field and after inspection of the plant
that bore the ear. Is not the stem and
the leaf of the corn plant part of the
plant itself, and is not its character of
consequence? If so, how? The seed of
duce not only the form of ear, but of
stem and leaf as we'll. Now we do not
want plant that falls over from weak
ness of stem. This is especially true of
the West, where husking in winter is o
frequent sight. If the stalk falls over
into the soil below it may be frozen in
the ground, and in any event will husk
harder. We do not wish for large
amount of stalk and little of cara
plant that runs to foliage. We do not
wish for tall stalk, but rather short
stalk, not too heavy at the butt, nor
coarse. We desire one of large leaf
development, of rich color and vigorous
look, and free from disease. We want
to note what part or the plant the ear
grows on, and whether it gives single or
twin ears. We desire to know at what
time the ear natures. Very little of
these important matters can we know
unless we go into the field and select
our corn.
Referring to Darwin's experiments,
Prof. Sanborn says
Darwin's trials showed that cross-bred
plants grew 80 to 40 per cent. faster, in
some cases, than certain inbred plants,
and that certain inbred and cross bred
plants, when placed under most favor
able conditions, with food and water in
abundance, grew quite alike in amount,
but that when the same plants were
placed in one box, in the struggle for
existence between the two under limited
conditions the vitality of the cross bred
plants was manifested by decidedly
better growth. Darwin sums up his con-
clusions upon his trials by remarking
that in no instance has he found an in
bred plant superior to a cross bred
plant, while the cross bred plants have
usually been much more prolific.