The progressive farmer., 1901-10-08
[ooNoLupEp FROM PAGE II

Eminent naturalists agree that
throughout the entire animal and
vegetable kingdoms, the productive
ness of fruit and grain plants, de-
pends entirely on various, progress
i've pollenization. They also agree
that it is the physically degenerate
thoroughbred serubs) individuals,
whose constitutional vigor has been
much lessened by discontinued breed
ing pressure, in the hands of the
average farmer, that are much more
susceptible to, and invariably FIRST
succumb to either extreme hot or
cold summer weather. This was
especially true during the unseason-
ably hot weather of last July, while
the early planted corn of the entire
corn belt was in the blooming and
grain-forming stage.
There is no doubt in the writer's
mind, after having made close in
spection of many fields in various
localities in the corn belt, during the
past month, that the average yield
of corn on most all of the early
planted corn has been reduced not
less than 15 bushels per acre from
imperfect pollenization due TO the
barren tendency gaining the su-
premacy.
During years when weather condi-
tions are very favorable, the ten
denoy TO barrenness is not 80 mani
fest. But during either unseason-
able hot or cold summers, the innate
barren tendencies are fostered to the
extent that grain barrenness becomes
rampant in the extreme.
Fully so per cent. Of the stalks, in
about rs per cent. of the fields,
throughout the corn belt, this year,
are either entirely barren, or nearly
30, owing to sexual impotency, which
caused abortive pollenization. And
as fully 40 per cent. of the pollen
(which took part in pollenizing even
the best ears, in many fields, was
barren (degenerate) pollen, it natur-
ally follows, by the light of past ex-
perience, that by the sheer force of
inheritance, there will be an un-
usually large per oept. of barren
stalks in all 1902 fields (and even in
succeeding years. which are planted
with such degenerate seed.
A letter just received from an ex-
tensive corn grower in Mclean
county, Ill, s5ates that in three diff
ferent counts, in his field of we'll
bred corn, recently, he found no
barren stalks. While other corn in
his neighborhood had a large per
cent. of barren stalks, and was far
along in the path of degeneraoy. The
vigorous, progressive, profuse, and
long continued growth of extreme
temperature resisting pollen in a
field of well-bre corn, which had
greatness as the basis of a successful
Gross, followed up by several years
of we'll balanced breeding pressure,
insures complete and vigorous pol
lenization, and consequent superior
grain yield, in spite of extreme tenn
Ierature during the grain-forming
stage.
By reason of it's having been care
fully rogued (nature's weaklings de-
stroyed before they formed their
pollen) during a series of years, it
becomes more free from barrenness,
in a geometrical ratio, as the years
go by. And owing to its great vigor
and f1exibility of organism, due to
we'll balanced breeding pressure, it
still further benefits in the way of |
increased yields and high quality, by
removal to other and diverse soils
and climates.
To make clearer the process of
''roguing," will say that each sum-
mer, before the diseased, small, and
barren stalks have their tassels cut
off before their pollen is formed.
Thus the pollen of the strong, vigor-
ous,. healthy stalks only, is allowed
to participate in the polarization
process.
If every wide-awake farmer would
annually set aside at least an acre
of good land, on which to plant seed
which had been grown in a specially
rogued patch, the preceding year,
and follow up the roguing process
annually, he would secure seed for
the planting of his entire acreage,
which would annually grow more