Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1904-10-13
Harvesting and Storing of Seed Corn
Geo. A. Wells, Secretary,
Iowa Grain Dealers Assn.
Des MOines, Iowa.

btO' ~ " CHS, oeCfeLdIy,
Iowa Grain Dealers Assn.
Des Moines, Iowa.
Dear Sir:
Replying to your questions
of where and how to select seed corn
and where and how to store it, will
say that owing to the cold season and
the extreme slowness with which the
corn has matured this fall, the great
est possible care should be exercised
by every farmer in the selecting and
storing of his seed corn.
The most essential thing is to have
the seed thoroughly dry before the
bitter cold weather of November.
One of the safest methods is to select
the seed corn from the earliest planted
field, not later than Oct. 18th, taking
the most mature ears. Tie eight or
ten ears together in a string with
binding Irvine, or tie them in pairs
by the husks and hang on some wires
in an open shed where the sun cannot
shine on them but where the wind can
have the best possible opportunity to
blow through the corn and dry it out
thoroughly.
AS soon as dry and before any hard
freezes (about Nov. lst to 5th) store in
some place where there is good circu-
lation of air and where it will be
somewhat protected from the severe
freezes during the months of Novem-
Der and December, such as the attic
or furnace. If you are certain that
the corn has thoroughly dried out, it
might remain where it hung in the
open shed all winter, provided the
sparrOws and mice do not trouble it
and there would be no danger of in
jury from freezing. But in slow cold
seasons like the past and present, or
where the corn was not hung up be-
fore Oct 18th the only safe thing to do
where it is protected as stated above.
In slow season the corn contains
much more moisture than is generally
supposed. Last fall on Oct. 18th,
5000 pounds of corn were placed in a
crib and have been weighed each week
since. 1t has now lost 1920 pounds or
- per cent. 1t is impossible for such
corn to dry out sufficiently to prevent
its being weakened or killed by the
fall freezes
CAUTIONS.
|. Do not store seed corn over the
stable as it will gather moisture.
,. Do not put freshly gathered
seed corn in warm room. 1t will
either sprout or mould or both.
3. For the same reason do not
leave it in barrels and boxes or on
the south porch where the sun can
shine on it.
4. During the first two weeks after
the seed corn is harvested, while it is
green and sappy, it should be dried
under as nearly normal conditions of
temperature as possible. After this
the drying may be FASTENED by plac-
ing in q warm but we'll ventilated
place.
5. Do not take any chances with
the seed corn.
&. Save two or three times what
you will need for your own use. Your
neighbor may need it next spring.
!. Last spring thousands of farmers
planted weakened seed. This together
with the cold spring gave poor stands
and necessitated much replanting
Over a thousand samples of corn were
sent to the Station to be tested last
spring. The tests showed an average
of Is per cent that would not grow
and 10 per cent more that gave q
weak termination and was not fit to
plant, leaving only 63 per cent of a
strong seed.
would again emphasize the impOr-
lance of harvesting the seed corn not
later than Oct. 10Th, and hanging
where there is the freest circulation of
air with a normal temperature.
Yours trnly,
p. G. Holden.