The National tribune., 1904-06-16
"CORN=GOSPEL TRAIN.
Lectures and Practical Demonstrations
From Rear-End Platforms s-A Signifi-
cant Lasson in the New Agriculture.
BY F. G. MoORHEAD.
WOrld's Work.

Corn is our greatest crop. Iowa pro-
duces more corn than any other State or
country in the world. but its yield did not
satisfy Mr.. p. G. Holden. Professor of
Agronomy at the Iowa State Agricultu-
raj College. In 1902, the average yield
average yield was 81 bushels. Professor
Holden said, why. with good weather,
should the high yield not only be main
tained, but increased!' An increase of
only one bushel an acre, using last years
crop as basis. would mean an increase for
$500 al market price last December.
Professor Holden began TO experiment
with corn from Iowa and other corn-pro-
ducing States. After a year of planting
and growing. he found that, with proper
>eed-corn and right planting the yield in
creased. These scientific tests, made at
the State Experimental Station. showed
that the increase would range from five TO
10 bushels per acre for the fertile fields
and from two to five bushels per acre for
the less-fayored soil. The secret of the de-
sired increase, therefore, was in the edu-
cation of the corn growers. Convinced OF
this fact, he continued his experiments and
his comparisons. In 1862, Green and Win
nebago Counties had the poorest average
Of productivity to the acre-20 bushels;
yet. the year before. Green County had
produced 81 bushels 10 the acre and Win
nehago County so bushels. 1t was a sig
nificant change.
Iowa produces more than one-seventh Of
all the corn grown in the United States.
Professor Holden believed that Iowa
conid produce millions more bushels of
corn than any other State without ex
haGStiug the soil
lie showed the Iowa State Agricultural
College students how to select the proper
seed-corn and how TO plant it. But the
students were only Il small proportion of
the vast number of orE-groWers in the
State. If his scientific experiments We're
10 be Of value, they must be generally
known.
Professor Holden established corn -judg-
ing contests at the State Fair, annually
held in Des Moines. Scholarships in the
State Agricultural College were offered rs
prizes to the farm lads. within certain
ages. who brought from their homes the
best ears of corn and gave their reasons
for the selection together with information
as to the selecting and planting of seed
corn. The contests quickly grew in favor.
but the work did not reach the great body
of farmers throughout the State.
Professor Holden then explained his
crop-increase plan to the leading freight:
carrying roads traversing the State. At
first they doubted. then became interested,
and finally entered into the proposition en-
Enthusiastically. The Chicago. Rock Island
4 Pacific Railway was the first to offer
a special train and to guarantee the eN-
penses of the trip. The offer was accepted
by Professor Holden
The "COrnGospel Train,' as ii was
called. started in central Iowa. and it was
run on timetable schedule. Two weeks
before the train started. the list of all
stopping places and the schedule time of
arrival there was announced on hand-blils
and by notices sent by the rural free de-
livery of mail TO every farmer in territory
contiguous to the Rock Island route. Half
hour stops were made for every town.
Professor Holden was accompanied by
Professor Sage and his assistants, railway
officials. and newspaper representatives.
Attached to the special train was
large audience car, and in this Professor
Holden lectured to the farmers who met
him at every station. When the crowd
was too large for the car, overflow meet
ings We're held on the station platforms.
Frequently, the assistants would be called
upon to repeat the message TO those on the
outskirts of the crowd who could not hear
Professor Holden. The average attendance
at the stations was 100. When n 20
minute address was completed Professor
Holden conducted Il short question paria
ment. specimens of good and bad seed
corn were exhibited. and. with last fare
we'll and a cheer from the farmers, the
train departed for the next station. Often
Professor Holden spoke from the rear
platform Of the train. At one of the stops
he said:
When we consider that more than
100000 acres. considerably over one
fourth of the entire area of the State. is
planted in corn each season. and that it
requires more than 100000 bushels of
seed TO plant this area: and when we re-
alize that the character of the seed. its
vitality. breeding. purity. adaptablllty 10
the soil and climate. and uniformity in
both size and shape of the kernels. all ex-
ercise n great influence on the future yield,
the great Importance of paying the closest
attention TO the corn for seed purposes
cannot be oyerestimated.
1T is well known that most of the seed
corn put on the market 10y seedsmen is
bought of farmers in crib lots. Sheled,
screened. and sacked ready for SALE little
or no attention being paid TO the selection
in fact, it is generally handled with
scoep-shovel, and is known as the scoop
shovel method of selection The chances
are that the farmer has i'm his own crib
better corh than that which he purchases
from seedsmen at four or five tines the
market price; and then he runs the adsli-
tional risk that it will not mature i'm his
locality.
IF it We're simply matter of losing the
price of the bushel of imported seed-corn.
it would not be serious; but when we con
slider that bushel of see,l-corn ought TO
produce 400 bushels of corn. worth from
$3.50 to S1G0, the seri0us nature of the
question is very apparent. If for any
reason, my own corn was not satisfactory
for seed, certainly would not send far