The Van Buren press., 1898-09-10

F Insects which md Their vsv SC
+ quickly 70 the bottom Of 3 bin filed
with oats or through the meshes Of q
elosely-woven elota bag VIII not De
/ hindered from finding corn which =
only partially inclosed BY husks. The
huSks add materially % the bulk OF
the stored corn they afford no pcotee-
+ fion from insects. and provide the beS.
OF nesting material for rats and mice
! The corn must be husked before i can
be shipped, and most Of it before il
can BE used H1sking can be done
more rapidly and with less expense as
the corn IS being gathered than al any
other time, and under ordinary circun-
stances that Is the best time for doing
the WORK
II corn IS 70 be stored only short
time the ordinary open crib is all that
IS necessary, but II il is to be kept IN.
I'll spring before using. the sides and
bottom Of the crib should be sight. 50
that the corn can be treated with b.
sulphld Of carbon 70 kill moths and
weevils- If thoroughly dry when
brought from the field it may be stored
n such a bin with no danger from
heating or molding. and il treated al
once by pouring bisulphid over the top
Of the corn, using one pound OF the
liquid for each loo bushels of grain. il
viii be secure from insect depreda-
tons for several months If the corn
IS kept until late IN the season il
should be watched during the spring.
and il either moths or weeYils should
Se fOund Il should receive another
treatment Il the corn Is damp when
gathered. i will not be safe TO put il
N close crib which IS not well veHti.
lated, while If placed in an open crib
( It can not be treated for killing in
sects- Il 10 insects can be found in
the corn when It IS gathered, imme-
diate treatment is not necessary. as
there viii be but little danger o. loss
in the grain which is used during the
winter. II already infested, however.
/ II should be treated at once. Many
who prefer 10 use an open crib for per-
manent storing place the corn first in
what Is known as quarantine bin
where it is treated and then removed
70 the cribs where il is to remain. The
quarantine bin may be one which has
been built for the purpose. but it is
more often convenient corner OF the
barn which has been boarded so as TO
make the sides close. and which is of
sufi eient size to hold 100 bushels or
more The corn is placed in this
bin as il IS gathered, and when il is
filed one pound of bisulphid for ca Ell
100 bushels Of grain is poured over it
and the top is covered with tarpaulin
or with old sacks to confine the fumes
OF the liquid. BE- the end of the third
day all the insects viii have been
killed and the corn may be removed
with perfect safety. II the cribs where
the corn Is to be stored have previous.
| " been infested with insects they
should be treated with bisulphid be-
/ fore the new corn IS gathered The
only special care necessary in using
the bisulphid is to prevent an explo-
sion by fire. as it is very easily ignited,
and no lantern or light of any kind, or
even a pipe, should be allowed in a
building where it has been used 50
long as any OF its oder can be de-
tected, which will rarely be more than
three days after its application. The
bisulphid IS not expensive. costing only
ten cents per pound when bought IN
80 pound lots, and its use dces not in
| jure the the corn for feeding. grind.
ing or for planting.
China berries. Jerusalem oak, salt
], d, -. 1
as preventives of insect attacks, but
are OF little if any value.
Saving Seed.
The best plan for saving seed is to
go through the field before the crop is
harvested aud gather the best ears
from the best stalks. The largest
! yields of grain are usually made from
varieties producing two ears on
each stalk, and if such a variety
is desired. then seed should be
saved only from stalks bearing
two ears. 1t is sometimes claimed
that the upper one of two ears will
produce the earlier maturing crop, but
in the south early maturity is of 50 it
tie Importance that If a stalk has two
EOOh tdA , O0LAl olOuLQ bC Ldkfls II Que
ear is good and the other only fairly.
the better one may be taken, while if
either ear is very poor in size, shape or
fullness, both should be rejected. II
variety bearing only one ear to each
stalk is preferred, the ears selected for
seed should be the largest which can
be found, of nearly equal diameter
throughout, and well filled at each end.
1t is as important to take seeds from
the best stalks as from the best ears.
and whatever variety may be pre-
ferred every ear which is selected for
seed should be taken from a stalk
which in size. habit of growth and
number of ears approaches closely to
what is the desired form for that
variety.
If careful hands are employed in
gathering the crop, very good seIec
tion OF seed may be made by having a
box in the wagon into which the most
desirable ears may be thrown as they
are found.
In selecting seed for the crib, as is
often done, nothing can be known of
the character of the stalks upon which
the ears were grown, and little or no
improvement can be made in a variety
by such a selection; while careful
and judicious selection in the field will
work constant and gradual improve
ment in the crop, and viii make it
more nearly uniform with each sue
ceeding year. No one item in the
growing of corn is OF greater imnor-
tance than the selection of seed.