Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1904-12-16

The pure seed grain meeting ad.
vertised last week was held in the
opera house in this city Tuesday
afternoon. Gen. Supt. A. G. John
son. of the G. g. NV, and Prof.
Wheeler, OF the agricultural college
were present. Prof. Wilson, of the
college, and Hon NJ. F. Greedy, who
were to be here, could not attend.
Prof. Chilcott, of the college, was
sent as a substitute for Prof. Wilson.
The attendance was good, there
being about l25 farmers present,
representing nearly every portion
of Kingsbury county, aud also a few
from Clark County.
Mr.. Johnson opened the meeting,
explained the object, and gave a
good talk npon the Importance Of
pure seed. While Mr.. johnson now
holds a high and responsible posi-
tion with the railroad company, it
should be remembered that he prob
ably has as wide an experience in
the grain business as any man in
the state. He has farmed continu
ally for more than twenty years. A
part of this time he held a position
with the G. w. Van Dusen Elevator
company. He has been in a position
where it was necessary to study the
grain business. He maintains that
the seed grain in this state, for the
most part, is unfit for use, that at
the best only a moderate crop can
be hoped for from our seed, and
that only under the most favorable
climatic conditions from planting
until harvest. Mr.. johnson places
the difference of yield to be expected
from next years crop as between
present seed and a good strong seed
at approximately five bushels to the
acre. This is only a reasonable es-
innate based on experience with
grain raised the past season. On
the basis of a difference of five
bushels to the acre, and the present
prices, it would mean a difference of
nearly FIVE dollars to the acre, or a
difference to the wheat raisers of
the state Of SlS,OO0,0O0 on the 3,6OO,-
600 acres sown to wheat. Mr. John
son makes this estimate on the basis
of the average crop yield for this
state at l2A bushels per acre. This,
OF course, takes in the average climat
ic conditions.
Prof. Wheeler was then introduc,
ed. Mr.. Wheeler soon convinced
the audience that be had a thorough
knowledge of seed gram from the
standpoint of the scientist. He has
made a special effort TO ascertain the
value OF the past seasons wheat for
seed purposes. First be explained
the wheat kernel. the location of the
plant in the seed, how it was arrang
ed, how it drew its nourishment
from certain substances stored 10 the
seed and where these substances
we're found. He exhibited sectional
views of a kernel OF wheat, and of
kernels taken from the different
weights. In the experiments to test
the terminating qualities, four tests
were made, taking 60 pound wheat
and poorer grades. The first showed
90 per cent Of termination, the lower
grades went down as low as n per
cant of termination, that ia only q
kernels out OF 100 Of the lowest
grade sprouted. Another chart show
ed drawings of the different plants.
The best seed produced a plant that
nearly doubled the dininsions of the
plant from the poorest seed. The
termination from the so pound
wheat was a trife better than so per
cent. The last experiment Is from
wheat OF about an average of the
past seasons crop. A seed that will
not show a termination of at least
80 per cent is certainly not fit to
plant. Again, this poor seed may
germinate. but the fact that it is
light in weight shows it has not the
nourishing qualities to support the
young plant until il is able to draw