Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1899-01-18

The composition OF grain, or indeed
of any plant product, cannot, as a
rule, be inferred from any physical
signs. The selection of seed with a
view to improvement is thus limited
to consideration of yield chiefly,
though some ply sical characteristics
are given more or less attention by
the more thoughtful. Selection based
on composition requires the co-opera-
tion of chemist as rule, at least
until his investiga tons have dis.
covered some physical accompani-
ment of certain composition. The
Experiment Station at the Agricul.
iura' College has in progress an in
vestigation which has for it's object
the discovery of the. varieties of corn
J which are richest in protein, and the
| production from these of new varie-
ties still richer in protein.
| The protein of feeds includes the
nitrogenous constituents. 1t is for
these that feeders purchase oil-cake,
gluten meal, wheat bran, etc., at a
high price to balances the rations fed
their milch COWS, their young stock,
or even their fattening animals in
some cases. Corn is rich in starch
and other carbohydrates and in fat,
but is correspondingly poor in pro-
tein, its average amount of the last
being about 10 per cent. Wheat has
about II per cent of protein, wheat
bran Is per cent, and oil-meal 33 per
cent. While the average amount of
protein in corn is 10 per cent, it may
fall as low as per cent or rise to
over II per cent. If we could raise
The average to the height of the best
it would be equal to wheat, if of
equal digestility. Analyses made by
the chemical department of the Elk
pertinent Station, of single ears of
thirty-three varieties of corn, showed
variation in protein from 8.7S to r.
Il per cent. This does not really make
fair showing in respect to the varie-
ties, as but one ear was used in each
case as the source of the sample, and
other analyses of additional ears of
two of the varieties showed as great
or greater variation in the compost
tion OF different ears of the same
variety. One of these varieties has
been grown for thirty years by the
same man without intermixture of
any other variety. It seem that, if
possible, fixed type should have
been reached in this time, but analy-
ses of ten different ears showed
minimum of $50 and maximum of
1915 per cent of protein. Such great
variations indicate the possibilities
in seed selection if some means can
be discovered by which the rich in
protein can be distinguished from III
poor. The department has gone fur
ther, and has examined individual
kernels from the same ear. These
showed a considerable variation also,
but the difficulties attending the
work are such as to make any general
statement, as yet, premature.
TIE Stations intends to continue
it's work until vatiety or varieties
rich in protein have been established,
and if possible means has been dis
covered whereby, thru simple obser
vations or processes, the farmer may
select seed without the assistance of
a chemist and get that which is of
high protein content. In the mean
time, attention is drawn to the fact
that the germ is richer in both pro-
tein and fat than any of the other
parts of the kernel, and by choosing
ears for seed in which q large germ
is found in the kernels the chances
are greatly in favor of improving the
quality of the crop. Taking as a
basis the present relative cost of car
bohydrates and protein, could we
increase the latter from 10 per cent
to II per cent, at the expense of the
former, the actual cash value of the
average corn crop of Kansas would
be increased at least l per cent, or
$3.50, 900, A greater increase in PRO-
tein would increase the value proper
tionately, and that a considerably
greater increase is possible, there can
be no serious doubt.
General News.