Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-08-26
SELECTING SEED CORN
Iowa Experiment Station Pub.
fishes q Bulletin on q Timely
Subject.
Something About the Best Kinds
and Qualities Of Corn for
Seed.
Farmers Advised to Pick Seed
Corn Before the Heavy Frosts
Come.
'pecial to Times Republican.

| special to Times Republican.
Ames, Aug. 26.-The Iowa experiment
station gives out the following facts in
regard to selecting seed corn, compiled
by James Atkinson, instructor In agri-
culture. A few observations taken in
the corn belt will convince one that the
shortage in the corn crop this year can
not be attributed entirely to the drouth
and dry weather. The use Of poor seed
has added Immensely to that loss. 1t is
true that our poor stand is attributed to
unfavorable conditions at planting time,
out these very conditions suggest the
wisdom Of using seed that will germi-
nate 100 per cent even when the soil is
cold.
Preparations for a good crop in 1902
should begin as soon as the growing
crop has matured. When only a few
bushels of seed are to be saved, this
Should be selected in the field before
husking time, and especially before the
heavy frosts Begin Seed for high
ground should be selected from the
higher lands. while the bottom lands
Should have seed taken from the lower
lands. Ears should be chosen only from
such stalks as are of a good size and al
50 bear the ear we'll up on the stalk.
AS to the best type of ear to choose,
there will be some variation in varieties,
| altho on general principles all varieties
that are worth preserving should con-
form to certain standard. In the first
place 1t should be uniform In color, both
grain and cob, which would indicate
some fixedness in type and give at least
some assurance that the crop grown
| from such seed would resemble the par
ent, not only in color but in other essen
tials. All ears chosen should be we'll
filled out at butt and tip. Bare tips in
dictate that the lower kernels on the ear
absorb nOurishment that should be dis
tributed thruout the entire length. OF
course imperfect pollination is some
times the cause, but on general princi-
pies such seed should be rejected. Per-
feet filling at ends Is more often found
Where the ears are short, and mistakes
are easily made in this direction. Moth
Ing should be chosen that is shorter
than nine inches and ten or ten and
one-half inches are much preferred pro-
vidlng there IL no deficiency in other re-
spects. The circumference should be at
least seven inches. or seven and one-half
would still be better. The rows of kerr
nels should be numerous. straight and
well packed together. An ear that will
yield much to twisting pressure should
be rejected. Nothing should be saved for
seed that shows any tendency to revert
to the flint type. Any appearance of this
reversion is always plainly apparent in
the tip end butt kernels. Altho smaller
these kernels should show the clearly
defined denied character.
Where a large quantity of seed is
saved 1t may be selected during the
husking season by placing such ears as
conform to a high standard of perfection
in an apartment of the wagon designed
for that purpose. In either case the se-
lection should be carefully made. Seed
corn should be stored where freezing
and thawing can not take place. 1t is
true that corn taken from the crib will
often grow quite we'll, but 1t has been
demonstrated beyond question that the
germ of such seed is always weakened
to some extent. II conditions should be
unfavorable after planting a poorer
stand is always the result when corn of
this kind is planted. After spending the
time in selecting seed one can not af-
ford to have his work undone by leaving
1t exposed to our severe atmospheric
conditions.