Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-08-03
Growing and Selecting Seed Corn.

Victor Felter. Washta, 1owa.l
Where each farmer saves his own
seed there is no better way of selecting
1t than to have a small box attached to
10 the side of his wagon and as he finds
iuitable ears put them in this box.
the crop is thoroughly matured the
orn is ready to be placed in the attic.
or other convenient dry places where 1t
Will not have to endure any extremes
in temperature. Unsound or imma-
tured ears should be thoroughly dried
out in some we'll ventilated place be-
fore being stored for the winter.
These are some of the practical
methods of securing seed corn. Such
methods have been practiced ever since
the landing of Columbus. But with the
ever-advancing civilization and stead
ily increasing values of Iowa farms we
predict some wonderful advances dur
ING the next decade in corn culture ana
corn breeding. To yield moderate IN
come from one hundred dollar lana II
is very apparent that greater crops ana
higher quality are necessary.
The marked improvements In corn as
In the past Will in the future be &C
complished by specialists. The aver
age farmer is we'll able, ana Is Tar
sighted enough. to pay good price tor
seed that will increase his yield even
bushel or two per acre.
The fundamental principles OF AMI
NAL husbandry are just as hNea ana
important in the corn breeding pusi-
ness. The old motto that Like pro-
d,ees like" should govern all selections
of breeding animals and farm grams.
MANY farmers give the selection or
corn too little attention, selecting their
seed from some imaginable or fanciea
within NOT knowing whether their Ideas
are founded on correct principles or
not Some for instance, want
smooth ear, because it is easy on the
hands in husking. Others want long
ear because they seem to MI the "ae-
on faster. and will select this type re-
gardless of the fact that the gram ID
shallow and the butts and tips poorly
filed. Some will get seed 100 Iar
south, thus getting a larger variety
than will mature we'll. Others HIN
two varieties, expecting to increase the
Weld and combine in the cross the
good qualities of both, While more OF
ten thew will have produced mongrel
which has the undesirable qualities or
both ana is utterly worthless
There is nothing that is more yieid-
ing to the hand of man in the way OF
selection and environment than tha
corn nlant. The common plan In try
inc ia Improve corn is either to cross
two varieties by a series of selections
from one sort. The latter is much the
safest plan and is generally done thru
. series of breeding blocks, always
keeping in mind the type you are Sc
lecting for.
breeding blocks are small plots OF
ground selected where the most COM
plete isolation may be received. The
rows should be forty or fifty rods Ions
and each one Of the rows planted from
a single ear The ears and rows are
numbered and the row number Kept
a 6 the record of each ear. Weak or
barren stalks are cut out so tnat each
kernel Will be polenated by a strong
vigorous stalk Every other row is
detasseled the latter part OF July or
August and seed corn selected from
the highest yielding rows OF tins breed
ing block. very of the very choicest
ears from the few best rows are again
chosen for use In the larger fields II
will be noticed that some OF these rows
will make extraordinary large yields,
while others will make only very or
binary Yield The corn can be husked
and weighed each row separately. by
counting the exact number OF hills and