The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1903-11-03
FALL FARM WORK-A FEW RANDOM SUGGES-
TIONS.
TONS.

Planting cotton or hOeing it never suited us half
so well as drawing the feecy locks from the open
bofs. Hoeing corn or blowing it was never nearly
so pleasant as harvesting the understanding fod-
der and the big, yellow pumpkins. Sowing wheat
in the delightful autumn air, with the odOr of
good red earth in ones ~nostrils, is noble work.
And the big, red apples out in the orchard; the
corn-shuckings on crisp, clear nights, (always in
conjunction with well-loaded tables of fresh pork,
mutton, 'possum, pumpkin pies, cakes, jams, jel-
lies, etc.; the 'possum hunts that suggest the
smell of fat lightwood torches and of forests sweet
with new-fallen leaves-well, after all, there is no
better season than the fall season. Of course,
there is another side to the picture, but the bright
side predominates.
Speaking of corn stockings reminds us of a
matter which has had a good deal of attention in
The Progressive Farmer this fal-getting seed
ears for next years crop. 1t has been clearly
shown that the old plan of going to the crib at
planting time and taking the biggest ears, with
out regard to the productivity of the stalk on
which they grew, is by no means the best plan.
Our purpose in mentioning this matter just here
is to get our readers to give the more earnest
heed to the September Bulletin of the North
Carolina Department of Agriculture, which is now
UCAIS OChG " OAC OuAACGAA oAAAAA OO RAO
ment of Corn by Seed Selection" is the title of
this bulletin, and Mr.. G. B. Williams is the author.
There are a number of matters to which he gives
a~ttention-shape of the ear, it's comparative
length and circumference, the color of cob and
grain, size of cob, filling of butts and tips, num-
Der of row of corn on ear, and the distance be-
tween rows, size and form of kernels, etc.-which
cannot be noticed here, but now while a considera-
BILE portion of the corn is yet in the fields, we wish
to repeat what is said about the number of ears
per stalk.
"The stalk that bears two medium-sized
ears" says Mr.. Williams, "will yield more corn
per stalk, and hence more per acre, than the one
that grows only one large ear. This is an impor-
tant factor that is of necessity entirely left out
of consideration when barn selection in the spring
is resorted to, as it will be perfectly natural to
select there the largest specimens for seed, which
will almost invariably have been grown upon
stalks that bore but one ear; hence we have uncon-
sciously, by the methods in common practice in
North Carolina for seed selection, established
generally one-eared varieties. In experiments
conducted at the Edgecombe farm last year with
seed from one-eared, two-eared COTTON and top
and four-eared stalks, the larger yields generally
resulted from the selections from the stalks that
bore the highest number of ears"
%
Another matter which should have attention
Just now is the condition of the barns, stables, and
outbuildings. A few leaks in the roof may ruin
a considerable quantity of feed. A little neglect
in the matter of housing the cattle may necessi.
tate the use of a larger feed supply in order tc
keep up animal heat. A few simple convenience
installed about the barn may save much time anc
trouble when the cold, wintry weather sets in.
The farmer ought also to study the principles
of feeding, read the books and bulletins on this
subject, and prepare himself to keep his stock il