Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-04-30
AMEs COLLEGE PROFESSOR DE.
LINERS ADDRESSES IN SOUTH
ERIN IOWA TODAY.
AUDIENCES LARGE
AND INTERESTED

AMI LIN J. LII uO NY
Seed Corn Special Speeds Through
Rich Farming District, Stopping at
Nearly Every Station, While Farm
ers Hear Good Advice.
Hundreds of thousands of bushels
of corn will undoubtedly be the IN
creased yield in southeastern Iowa this
year as a result Of the special corn
train of the Burlington which arrived
in Ottunlwa at 1855 o'clock this aft
ernoon. During the thirty minutes
stop at the Union station the gospel
of good seed corn was preached TO an
audience that crowded the coach, by
Professor F. G. Holden OF the depart
ment of agronomy at the Iowa state
Agricultural college.
All day long the train has been
speeding across the fertile fields OF
southeastern Iowa and at almost every
station stops have been made ana
short talks made to audiences OF prac-
tical farmers anxious to learn all that
is possible concerning the choice and
planting of the seed upon which the
success or failure of their crop THIS
year is dependent. This year more
than for many years past there is need
for the careful selection of the seed
that goes into the ground, il the far-
mer is to have successful crop. care
full tests have been proven that the
large per cent of corn in the hands OF
the Iowa farmers and which Is likely
to form the bulk of the seed used this
year is absolutely unfit for seeding
purposes. 1t is to arouse the farmers
to realization of this fact that the
Burlington has arranged this special
train and that the Iowa Agricultural
college has delegated to Professor
Holden and his assistant, Professor l..
S. Klinck the duty Of travelling on this
train and telling the farmers how to
select and plant their seed corn in or
der to secure the best results.
The Ottumwa Talk.
The selection and testing Of the seed
and the adjustment and regulation OF
the planter was the theme upon which
Professor Holden spoke in Ottumwa.
He said in part:
Select your seed corn, place it on
the floor, take kernels from near the
tip, butt and center of each ear, sub
ject them to moisture in box in
which you should put thin layer OF
soil. Cover the kernels with cloth
or bag filled with moist earth, leave
them for twenty-four hours and then
adjudge them. Those that are good
will show their signs of life and hardi-
ness. Have your kernels so arranged
in your test box that you can tell from
which ears they have been taken and
when you find faulty kernels, trace
them to their respective ears and dis
card the latter.
"The pit kernels are not good seed.
The butt ends are not of regular size
and will not work well in your plant
ers. When you shell your corn shelf
the ends first and discard these ker-
nels.
with your tests Of the corn COM
pleted devote some attention to your
planters The latter should be arrang-
ed so that an even drop would follow,
thus insuring the much desired and
important even stand. Three kernels
to the hill is a good average and if
the farmers will but regulate their
planters and use none but first grade
seed, the deplorably low yield will be
increased and placed on the plane
where it belongs.
"Iowa's average yield to the acre
last year was but thirty-two bushels.
| Allowing but one stalk to the hill and
but one ear to the stock figures show
| that the yield should be at least sixty.
two bushels. Some one is at fault and
| I believe that the solution and remedy
| lies in the more careful choice of seed
and the better handling of planters.
ITO insure an even fall, the kernels
| should be of an even size. Providing
you are short on seed, sort what you
have and place the different sizes of
kernels in the planters at different
times"
The Party.
Chief of the party is Professor F.
G. Holden, professor of Agronomy at
the Agricultural college at Ames, and
L. S. Klinck, Of the Same school, assist
ant to professor Holden. j. R. Sage,
director of Iowa Weather and Crop SER
vice, Henry Wallace, publisher of the
4 Wallace Farmer of Des Moines, James
Atkinson, editor of Iowa Homestead,
published at Des Moines, George Wells,
secretary of the Iowa Grain Dealers
association, E. H. Hunter, commercial
agent Of the Burlington, located at Des
Moines, who has personal charge of the