The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1900-10-30

/ IN seed, as we'll as IN general crop
production, maximum yield as we'll
as high quality, can only be secured
from seed of highly bred variety
which has been almost freed from
Earrenness and its attendant degen-
eracy, and whose productiveness is
| being continually intensified, and
bended to mans needs and fancies,
By intelligent breeding pressure.
But it should be planted fully twice
as thiclzly as it is eventually wanted
to mature. Then as soon as the in
dividUal plants attain a stage Of
growth sufficient to be separately
| judged, as to which naturally are the
weaklings, the grower should de-
stfOy all such, leaving a full stand
OF the most vigorous and healthy
plants, (nature's favOrites), which
have been endowed by the natural
laws Of progression assisted by ingen-
ions breeders, with the capacity and
tendency to produce maximum crops
OF the best quality, to monOpolize
tie nutriment of the soil In this
line of practice, which is very gen
eal with professional market gar
deners, especially in Europe and
Asia, the corn grower would not
only be sure of a good even stand,
(this alone would add much more
4ny h01 +O
average yield) but of a good stand
of natures favorite endowed stalks,
which undoubtedly would triple
our average yield, while if the grower
only plants enough seed for what he
considers a good stand (Of good, bad
and Indifferent stalks) of growing
corn, even should his seed be of the
highest possible vitality, and of a
productive variety, and the season
able conditions be entirely favor
able. (Which seldom happens) to
maximum termination and growth,
- owing to natures rovcrsionary
laws, enforced through the agency
of demOralizing pOllenatiOn assOcia-
tiOn, by means of insects, birds,
winds, ETC., with the degenerate
sorts which abound in every locality,
the producing capacity of such a
stand Of corn will be greatly lessened.
This fact may be more strikingly
emphasized by saying that the ma
jOrity of the individual stalks of
such a stand are in varying degrees
natures weaklings, consequently
not capable under the most favorable
conditions of maximum production.
In the case Of every kind of crop
which can practically be thinned,
especially on the corn, cotton, pOta-
to and vegetable farms of our cOun-
try, maximum yields may be surely
and very proftably produced, by
this simple but important practice.
Allow me to say from my own eXpe-
rience, that no other crop will re-
spond more quickly or gratefully to
this practice, than will the corn crop.
The corn plant does not take on or
add branches from without. Every
blade, the tassel, the shoots, and the
cob with its possibilities of grain
production, have pre-eXistence in,
and gradually unfold from within,
from the germ of the seed through
it's embryonic state, to the mature
plant with its wealth of grain and
forage in varying degrees, accord
ing to nature s degree of endowment,
and the breeder s watchfUl care. By
this practice the seed grower in par
! ticular, is not only able to produce
maximum yields of the highest
quality, bat he continually elevates
/ the breeding standard of his varie-
! ties. The writer has noticed that by
! this practice most of the premium
yields of corn have been produced,
and he has demonstrated to his own
/ great satisfaction, the Importance
/ of this practice with all of his field
crops. He firmly believes that the
dav is not far distant when by such
practice generally throughout the
country, our average yield Of corn
will be more than 100 bushels per
acre. Verify, we are yet but upon
the threshold of the great increase
in yield of all our farm crops, to be
wrought by practical plant breeders,
by the breeding or bending to man s
needs, the form and character of
fruits, cereals, vegetables and flow
ers. The dawn of the twentieth
century is ushering in a new era IN
plant Improvement which will be as
great during the next 25 years, as
has been the improvement in live
stock and poultry, during the past
quarter of a century.