The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1903-04-08

.on seed wheat, by H. l.. Bolley, says:
Just now every one seems to be much
interested in the question whether
there is to be Wisconsin inspection
for North Dakota wheat or not. One
thing is plain, even with all our care
ilessness in farming the quality OF the
North Dakota wheat is recognized as
superior to that of all other spring
wheat countries, and it is evident that
the thing for North Dakotans to do is
to keep this high standard of excel
lence unsullied. The product owes it's
fine milling qualities to the character
istics of our soil and climate. AS long
as the soil is new and fertile almost
any careless process of farm work will
produce good wheat, provided it is
reasonably we'll cured at harvest time.
This favorable state of the soil may,
however, not be expected to last ex-
cept under intelligent methods OF crop
rotation and culture.
Even at present, few farmers
raise as fine crops as is possible,
either in quantity or in quality. In
most cases, the reason is to be found
IN the fact that poor, uneven quality
of seed is placed in the ground. Many
farmers seem to believe that wheat
which cannot be placed on the mar
ket because of its inferior grade may
yet be used for seed with safety. They
pay dearly for this notion, losing both
itvy n
this has been too often made at this
station to need further reiteration.
To make a success of wheat culture
one must, year by year. stanchly per-
.sist in the use of the best. possible
seed. II one deviates from the rule.
loss is sure to follow In number
of different years, our experiments
show that any variation in the seed
from a mo. / hard" quality will surely
show up in the yield at harvest. If
the quality of seed is Of mixed type
or uneven in quality, as to maturity,
injury, ETC., the quality at harvest
time is sure to be of uneven grade.
Farmers should avoid using any Of
the following types of grain for seed
purposes:
Immature wheats, no matter what
the cause, are weakened in seed value
because Of the lack of full food sup
ply in the grain for the young plants,
and perhaps because of immatur1ty or
the embryo itself.
Mixed varieties of seed should not
be sown because the crop is sure to
vipen unevenly.
The best grades of frosted seeds
possess less strength in their first
growth from the grain than normal
,eed grain.
Wheat that has been wet and SUBJ
iect to freezing and thawing during
the winter ought not to be used as
seed, at least, without being tested.
wheat which was thres he'd damp
and became hot enough in the bin to
be noticed when the hand was thrust
into it has been considerably injured
Cor seed purposes.
II. after being threshed and stored
wet, it has become moldy or musty,
caked together, it will be very much
the safest thing to get better type
Of grain for seed purposes.
Wheat which has been really "hot"
N the bin may be wholly dead. 1t is
not safe to use it at all, unless good
termination test is made.
Grain which has been stored in the
bin SO that it has been subject to mois-
ture and freezing and thawing will be
sure to have large percentage or tho
grains entirely dead and many others
so weak. that it will be impossible for
Mo cuff oiontlv
strong to be of much crop value. A
cro2 which ripens unevenly means an
OF grade at threshing time. In a
Number of experiments, have learned
that pure variety is the first essen
lial toward procuring an even grade
of grain Such grain rlpens evenly
and allows one to cure it evenly. we
have also ascertained that it pays big
to thoroughly clean and grade up all
samHes of seed. At least one-third
of the grains found in any sample
should be removed by tanning mill
or other means before 1t is used Tor
sowing. Many experiments teach that
the small. light weight seeds cannot
produce perfect wheat. II variety
Is pure. the small. plump grains found
in head seem to yield practically as
well rs Tue larger SIdAno VI IAC SAAAS'
head. If, however, one tries the small
grains found in an ordinary sample OF
wheat in competition with the large
ones Of the same sample, it is usually
found that the yield from the small
.ecd is several bushels less per acre.
Smut-The last two seasons have
found North Dakota wheat more free
from smut than ever previously
known. This is undoubtedly due to
the fact that farmers have continued
the formaldehyde treatment with sue
cess. There should be no neglect IN
this matter Of seed treatment. It
pays. The crop is always much i'm
proved in yield and in quality, no mat
ter whether the seed has smut In It
or not. The formaldehyde improves
The first growth from the seed. in the
mast ten years, we have learned much
about smut. The following points are
plain: a. The small particles OF
lark dust or powder which come from
nc smu1 balls. when busted upon the
grains, produce the disease in the crop
Recounized the Sound.