Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-03-26
CEREALS MAY BE BENEFITED BY
JuDlcloUs ATTENTION AS
WE'LL AS STOCK.
United States Government Has Many
Experiment Stations and Splendid
Results Have Been Achieved-Farm
ers Can Do Much For Themselves.

stock operations, perhaps do not suf-
ficiently appreciate the advantages to
be gained in the use Of the most per-
feet varieties of seed grains and the
value of experiments in grain breed
ing. The United States and the various
states of the Union have begun system
attic experiments in this line at the
various state and government expert
ment stations.
Already the most gratifying results
have been obtained and the work will
be vigorously pushed in the future. Suf-
ficient has been learned already to
prove that the profits to be gained in
using only the best bred grains in farm
ing operations is just as productive OF
good results as the use of pure blood
stock in animal raising.
1t is true that the average farmer is
not prepared to engage in cereal breed
ing. With him it is a matter of main
tanning the high quality of pedigreed
grain produced by experts through
skillful cultivation and careful selection
of seed. Thoroughbred cereals will de-
terioriate rapidly when subjected to
harsh conditions or inferior cultivation.
Seed grain should be grown specially
for seed on most farms. Where grain
is grown extensively, as on the west
ern prairies, it rarely occurs that the
entire crop is of equal quality. Time
of seeding, quality of soil and condi-
lions at harvest or threshing time all
affect the quality of the grain for seed
ing purposes. If farmers generally
were to select sufficient portion of
their best ground, put it in the best
possible condition, seed it with the
best seed obtainable, harvest it at the
right time, thresh it when perfectly dry
and place it in bin provided exclusive
ly for seed grain, there would be no
deterioration. With abundance OF seed
thus provided there will be latitude
for screening it until only sound,
plump, clean seed remains to be plant
ed for the succeeding crop. A contin-
uation Of this process will improve the
quality and yield from year to year,
just as an intelligent selection OF breed
ing animals will improve the herd or
flock. 1t requires some extra labor
and expense, but the wages and inter-
est that result from it are enormous.
The farmer that disposes of his
stock, holding cut only just the guam
tity that is required for seed, is on a
mar with the man who disposes Of his
male animals Unfortunately, except
as to the number he desires for serv-
ice. Both breed backward and dis
count their possibilities at high rate
for shortcomings of judgment or OF
diligence.
Farming is Business.
oh yS11 IA
conducted on strictly business prin-
ciples. The farm should be managed
Tor profit, but nothing curtails the
profit = nothing so absolutely within
the farmers control = as sowing dam
aged, diseased, dirty or scrub seed
The best seed is always obtainable
and the means for maintaining and
constantly improving it's quality has
become an elementary problem in ag
riculture Careless seed selection de
prives the farmers of the country OF
untold millions of money annually
while maximum profits would have re
suited from trif1ing additional outlay
of thought and energy.
Inferior Seed Wheat.
The fertile prairies of the spring
wheat states are not producing theil
best, largely due to the extensive
methods onf cultivation and inferior
seed wheat. Much of it is allowed tc
sprout in the shock or burn in the
stack or bin. resulting in weak or i'm
perfect termination when used fol
seed Farmers have yet to learn ever
the approximate difference between
the yield Of an acre seeded with wheat
that is of high terminating power ant
full Of vigor and wheat that is lacking
in vitality, weak and puny. All the
seed may terminate, but where the
vitality mas been impaired from any
cause the yield will be proportionatelJ
small and disappointing.
North Dakota farmers crop abou
5000 acres to wheat each year. At 81
cents per bushel every increase O.
one bushel to the average yield pei
acre increases their gross income SO,
| 900 000 1t would be interesting t.
know how many more bushels coult
be grown per acre each year and O
how much better quality were onl.
the best seed sown, plus the best cul
tivation given. The difference be
tween the ordinary and the extra cos
and the contrasting results woult
Iouhtless nroya startling