The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1896-02-21
HOW TO IMPROVE SEED CORN.

So much has been written about the
improving of corn by the selection of
seed, that feel as though few will
care to hear anything further on the
subject.
AS matter of fact, L have never
seen an article on this subject that L
considered was sound sense, and in
giving my own views, 1 am we'll
aware that my theory is new to many
and may, perhaps, be cast aside as
preposterous.
! The average writer tells us to select
the largest ears, to plant only the
middle of the ear casting aside the
kernels at the tip and butt of the ear.
Now let US reason little.
A kernal of corn will produce a
stalk similar to the one the kernal
grew on, then why are not the kernel
on the tip and butt just as good as
any other part of the ear?
AS matter of fact they are, and
should never be thrown away, but it
is good plan to shell them off by
themselves and plant them by them
selves, and as they are usually small
Ter than the middle kernels, different
sized plates will have to be used in
the planter.
In order to tell hew to improve our
seed, it is necessary to watch the corn
plant grow, from the time of the first
sprout, until the ear is formed.
We will go back to the planted kerr
mel and We see see that it swells,
sprouts puts out few tender roots
that sustain the sprout and young
plant until the first lateral or surface
roots get firm footing, when these
first roots lose their usefulness.
These new lateral roots, which we
will call number ,, sustain the plant
until the surface of the soil begins to
get quite warm, when a, deeper or
lower set of lateral roots form that
run much lower and seek the cooler
soil. Roots number often run near
the surface and get from to 10 feet
long. Roots number 3, or the second
leteral roots, together with the other
lateral roots or roots number /; are
the great food gathers for the grow
ing corn, which enable the corn stalk
to deposit in the leaf, all the concent-
rated food necessary to produce the
ear.
\ bout the time of tasseling, the
brace or spur roots start out, about 2
or 8 rows of them under the soil, and
or rows above ground, which if the
ends come in contact with moist soil,
always bud and produce powerful
roots that 60 straight down to 6 feet
and are. the:great water gatherers that
furnish the moisture necessary to
transform the concentrated plant food
deposited in the leaf, to the ear, and
if there is moisture enough, the ear
will be a perfect ear with kernel grow
ing over the tip and the tip end of
the cob will be covered with kernel.
From this pen picture, anyone can
see how we ought to cultivate to pre-
vent rOOt-prunning and to get enough
soil around the stock to cause all the
spur roots to bud and go down in
search of water. Now it is evident
that the corn stalk which is tallest and
has the shortest joints, will of nee
essary have the most leaves, and not
growth, as the roots start out at the
joints under ground, and with the
moist root growth and leaves, we will
have the most concentrated food de- |
posit in the leaves to transform into
the seed.
The more joints, the more spur
roots, and the more spur roots the |
more moisture can be transformed to
change the concentrated plant food |
deposited in the leaf, to the ear, and |
of course the best ear, so we see that |
the way to improve seed corn is in
the field, and it is the number of |
joints and highth of the stalk that is
to be our guide and not the size of the |
ear. When we can increase the num-
Der of joints and not decrease the |
hight of the plant, then we will |
lepgthen the ear and increase our |
yield.
A large amount of moisture is need |
ed in July TO furnish the spur roots |
with moisture enough to enable the |
plant TO transfer its concentrated food /
from the leaf to the ear, and here is /
where well sub-soiled :land that has
been well filled with water will get |
its work in the best shape.
Any system of farming that will |
prevent the lower leaves drying up |
until the ear is made, will materially |
increase the yield.
Men that furnish cobs for the corn
cob pipe factory, plant the corn fro L
the largest cobs in Circumference no
matter how short they are. knowing
full well that kernel from such a
cob will produce stalk that will
grow another cob as large. Eastern
men select the hills of potatoes for
seed that have the largest and incest
vine.
Also tOmOtO growers save seed from
the largest and most vigorous vines,
and why not corn also?
c. j. NORTON.