The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1904-03-22
SEED CORN.
1.-The Best Varieties for North Carolina Growers
and the Best Ways of Buying.
Editors Progressive Farmer :

ture, as a result of four years comparative tests
of over thirty varieties of corn, has found that,
on a well-drained sandy or loan soil underlaid by
a good sandy clay subsoil at a depth of from eight
to twelve inches, Cookies Prolific variety of corn
has averaged a higher yield of shelled corn per
acre than any of the other varieties tested, when
all were grown on the same type of soil and re-
ceived the same fertilization and cultivation.
As a result of one years test at the Statesviue
Test Farm which is located on a red clay soil with
a stiff tenacious red clay subsoil, it was found
last year that Biggs' variety of corn produced a
larger yield of shelled corn per acre than any OF
the other eighteen varieties in the test.
TESTS SHOULD RUN THROUGH SEVERAL YEARS.
1t should be remembered, however, that it is
unsafe generally to accept as conclusive the re-
suits from one years test with any variety on any
type of soil; because the results obtained the fol-
lowing year, on the same soil with the same fer
t~ilization and with identical cultivation as far as
is possible to give, may be q reversal of those Sc
cured the first year, due to a difference in weather
conditions prevailing during the growing season.;
hence a variety test should be carefully conducted
for four to five years before attempting to draw
anything like definite conclusions.
With the twelve varieties of corn tested at the
Edgecombe farm in 1902, it was found that
Cookies Prolific produced on the same soil with
identical fertilization and cultivation, 14.6 bush
els of shelled corn per acre more than native corn
that was well selected from the barn. Placing
corn at sixty cents per bushel, this gives a gain
in favor of Cookies Prolific of $8.76. per acre.
Another variety that has stood up well in our
tests is Weekdays Improved. This variety is a
tolerably early one and can be grown with more
safety than most others, where only a short grow
ing season is afforded. 1t has a little smaller ear
and cob than Cookies Prolific. Both have a decid-
eddy strong inherited tendency to produce two or
more ears per stalk, the grain of which will weigh
from Sc to 81 pounds to the measured bushel.
BUY SEED CORN IN THE EAR.
In buying seed-corn, farmers should require
their dealers to ship it to them ON the ear and
supply a statement as to where it was grown. This
is essential, because if corn grown under greatly
different soil and climatic conditions is bought,
it is seldom that satisfactory results are obtained,
although the variety may be a good one, until it
has become thoroughly acclimated, which will
usually require from two to three years. The
force of this statemen was well Illustrated in our
experience at the Edgecombe Test Farm in 1901
with Leaning corn, which was brought from Hi
nois for our comparative variety test. At the
Illinois Experiment Station, Leaning corn had
proved to be one of the best varieties raised in
that State, but when brought to North Carolina
it gave the smallest yield of twelve varieties in
our test. 1t is likely, however, that after the va
riety has become thoroughly acclimated, it will
prove a very prolific variety for our State.
DON'T BUY THE CHEAPEST VARIETY.
1t is not always cheapest to buy the seed corn
that can be purchased for the least money. In