The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1901-01-29
Vol. 15.
Agriculture.
PLANTING THE CORN THICKLY.


Stalks
a,rraspondence of The Progressive Farmer.
Tr7rinc a recent trip through four
e +,a hest Illinois corn counties, 1
o.+i~,o+ed the loss during 1900, at
fnTv 100000 to each county, from
,oor stands of growing corn. And
from many visits to numerous locah-
tics throughout the corn States, dur
ing the Dast few years, have con-
o1nded that the average annual loss
occasi0ned by having the stand OF
oorn either too thick, or too thin,
will average, at d very conservative
estimate. fully Is bushels per acre.
This would average about 20 million
bUshels that are annually lost in the
total Weld of our corn crop, owing to
moor stands on corn. And permit me
to say thai too thick stand of corn
i inst as poor a stand as too thin
stand
That there is much annual loss
from having the stand Of corn both
toothin and too thick, no wide-awake
farmer will dispute Many farmers
do not realize the Importance OF seed
Of the best possible terminating
mower. Many farmers almost an
nuaTy see that their seed corn Is not
of the best vitality. But they usually
DELAY the selecting Gf selecting 1t
can be caIled) of their seasons supply
of seed. until they are almost ready
to plant. And then it is always a
very busy time with them, and they
..Dick'' the foundation of their corn
crop. hurriedIy, and in many IN
stances carelessly, depending on
.sluck'. for a good stand Of grow
ING plants. Many farmers do not
saleet their seed corn in the autumn
while husking, as they should in
variablv do. from individual stalks
which have been marked while
roguing the crop before its pollen IS
rine If seed corn is thus selected,
ani subsequently stored in dry,
airy place, it will not only germl-
nate we'll, and make a full stand, but
the product, owing to the fact that
its Darentage has been selected from
natures favorites, will naturally be
Of much higher quality, and much
greater in quantity. Many farmers
when ready to plant, watch for a
rainy day" in which to go to their
corn cribs and pick their seed corn
where their crop of the previous
wear is perhaps still on hand. Such
cribs are in many instances not rain
OF snow proof, and were perhaps
filed with corn before the grain was
thoroughly dry. And damp warm
weather ensuing perhaps, and heat
ing the grain to the extent that its
vitality was much impaired. Again,
in "Dicking" seed corn from the
crib. the farmer secures seed which
i in VARYING degrees nature ; weak
1ings. as regards barrenness and Its
attendant tdegeneracy--dry rot, smut,
etc. In fact, every stalk, good, bad
AMI Indifferent. was allowed to exert
its sexual influence in debating the
Weld and breading standard of every
other stalk in the field. In other
words. they bred and produced in Il
similar manner TO d herd Of wild
nu-.-scruUs ana al. There l. 49,
average annual loss of terminating
power in all kinds of seeds, most
especially if the variety has had No
breeding. of fully 25 per cent, and
in some instances so per cent, due
to careless selection. A degenerate
variety of seed corn, in which bar
renness is always rampant, nutur-
aIIv has weak germs, and general
languor Of organization, and is in
condition to be easily effected by eX-
tremes OF weather, both before and
after planting.
In corn as well as in general crOE
production, great yield, as we'll as
high quality, can only be secured
from seed of welI-bred variety,
which has been almost freed from
barrenness, disease, dry rot. low
terminating power, and general or
ganic Ianguor, by a long course of
careful breeding by an expert who
has made "a life study of plant breed
ing. But even seed of the highest
possible vitality and inherent vigOr,
is not proof against severe weather
conditions, or insect, bird, or rodent
depredations, consequently the very