Anadarko daily democrat. [volume] (Anadarko, Oklahoma) 1901-190?, 1901-10-05
FARM AND GARDEN.
MATTERS OF INTEPEsT TO AGRl-
CUlTURlSTS.
Some Up-to-Date Hints About Cuitl-
walton of the Soil and Yields
Thereof Horticulture. Niticulture and
Horticulture.

the following to say about the uni
formity and vitality of seed corn:
Uniformity.-As a rule little atten-
tion has been given to the character
OF the seed corn; little examination
has been made of the proportion of
corn to cob, of the purity of color, the
space between rows, the filling out of
ends, the length. circumference or
shape, or of any of the important
points that go to make up a good ear
OF corn. IL has been found by seed
corn growers that the length, circum-
ference or shape OF the ear can be
varied at will by selection. and there
is every reason to believe that these
characteristics can be so fixed that
practically all OF the ears In field
grown from pedigreed. uniform seed
corn will be of approximately uniform
size and shape. further. II has been
found that the number Of rows OF ker-
nels on the cob, the fillins out of the
ends, or other characteristics, can be
improved by planting from seed hav
ing these characteristics 1t has been
demonstrated, that II is not good prac-
tice to plant small kernels of grain OF
any sort. Therefore, IL is not good
policy to plant the tip kernels. AS the
butt kernels usually vary greatly in
size from the kernels on the rest OF the
ear. 1t Is good plan to shell off and
discard both the tips and butts of the
ears selected for seed. Again, as the
butts of the ears mature first and the
tips last, 1t is probable that these parts
have been fertllized by pollen OF an
early or late variety from some neigh
boring field; SO by shelling off the
butts and tips, part of the danger OF
mixed seed can be avoided. In general,
shell OF the small and the extremely
large kernels, so that the portion OF
the ear remaining for seed has kernels
OF approximately uniform size. With
most varieties of corn, about one-half
Inch Of butt kernels and one inch OF
tip kernels should usually be shelled
of.
Nitality.-Owing to late spring or
early frosts. 1t frequently happens that
the seed corn does not fully mature.
In this condition the ear Is likely to
mold and decay, thus destroying the
vitality OF the grain. AS the majority
OF farmers in Illinois allow the seed
corn to remain in the general crib
during the winter exposed to the sud
den and violent changes in tempera-
ture, such corn. full of moisture, will
freeze, and consequently the life of the
germ may be weakened or destroyed.
The seed corn in central Illinois, Sc
lected from the crop of 1898, was so
much injured in this way that the
university tests of the vitality of seed
corn sent in by farmers from this sec
tion OF the state, gave an average of
only 76 per cent terminating. Such
seed was not fit to plant. but as no
provision had been made by the farm
ers for drying and properly preserving
seed corn, and rs this was the only
seed available. it was planted with a
resultant poor stand, light crop, and
loss Of profits.
Immature seed should not be planted
for several reasons; First. such ker-
nels do not contain as much plant food
as those which are fully developed,
and thus do not provide as much
nourishment for the young plants
which, consequently do not get so
vigorous and healthy a start as those
from mature seeds. Second, the ex-
cessive moisture in the immature seeds
renders them liable to begin to ger
inmate in the fall in the crib, and thus
use up a part OF their strength; or a
sudden drop In temperature may freeze
the corn and destroy the life OF the
seed.
Seed corn should test 95 per cent vi
tality; 1. e., OF the ceed planted in the
seed bed 95 per cent should grow. II
the seed does not give this test OF
vitality, a poor stand will be the re-
suit. Nor is IL wise for the farmer t.
try to make up for poor seed by plant
ing a greater number of grains, be-
cause Of seeds which give a low test
OF vitality many of those which dc
grow lack strength and vigor and will
consequently produce weak plants
Furthermore, an uneven stand will
surely result. some Hills being over
crowded Frequently with weak plants)
and other hills being left with per-
haps no plants at all because OF the
unequal distribution OF the seed that
will germinate. Seed OF low vitality
will inevitably tend to the production
OF poor crop. Il is important, there
fore. that the farmer make a test oi
the vitality in order that he may
know the quality of his seed. A most
simple. effective, and practical meth.
cd OF testing the vitality OF seed corn
is as follows; FIJI common dinner
plates nearly level ful. Of fine sand
pour water over the sand until II Is
more than saturated. shake gently tc
level the sand. allow It to settle, and
then drain of the surplus water. Push
| SO kernels into the sand in each plate
turn a smaller plate over the sand to
prevent too rapid evaporation oi
moisture. and set both in a warn
place. Keep the sand moist and in
| seven days all of the healthy kernels