The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-05-25

careful selection as recommended for
wheat should be practiced in selecting
seed corn
Ny plan in this is to go into the fields
when the ears are just in the proper
stage Of maturity and select first stalks
having a growth to suit my idea; when
| such stalks are located. next examine the
cars on the stalks; the ears must be set
low where the stalk Is strong, must
hang off well from the stalks and must
hang down Stalks bearing ears stick
ing close to the stalk and pointing
straight up are passed by and no atten-
ton is given them. The next thing is
to examine the ear to see If the rows
are right that they are straight and
grow out well over each end Of the cob;
next see that the grains are formed ex-
| actly right. taking into account trueness
to type. With this careful selection it
is possible for farmers to greatly improve
the quality and increase the yield of their
crops It is very poor economy for farm
ers to have to buy their seed corn each
season, and often in doing SO they fail
| to get $ good corn as they already had
on their farms. Ii Is true that farmers
| should change seed al intervals, and also
they may desire to produce some OF the
many improved sorts that are offered.
: These are about the only arguments in
| favor of the farmer having to buy seed
! corn. We have been reading a great deal
recently about pedigreed seed and what
! great results have been derived from
their use.
| While good seed is essential. yet the
! first thing for the farmer is the soil. for
unless he Is going to keep up his soil,
| there is no Use in wasting money on
high bred seed And when the farmers
| get to preparing their soils as they
should. they will find right in their own
fields corn good enough to be called ped
igreed seed. Besides they can be saved
the expense of buying seed corn every
season. The care of the seed after 1t has
been selected is also very important
matter
Sugar Corn.
! We desire to call the attention of the
reader TO the value of the sugar corn as
food for both man and beast 1t has
been found by actual test that one acre
Of Mammoth sugar. or Stowells Ever
green sugar corn, IS in value worth as
much for feeding purposes as three acres
or our best varieties of field corn The
| farmer who Is engaged in stock business.
dairying or raising hogs will find in sugar
corn one fthe most valuable of feeds
! In fact 1t is almost indispensable for
dairy cows and hogs.
Sugar corn cannot be planted with safe
ty as early as can field varieties, and
so to succeed the soil should be made
| rich and fine and kept well cultivated
until time to plant Where there is
nearby market for the green ears. these
| may be sold at good price and the
stalks fed to stock. Large quantities of
sugar corn are now being grown for can
ming purposes and all farmers who are
engaged in growing sugar corn for can
ming should keep cows to eat up all the
stalks and waste. Green sugar corn can
be sold in all towns and cities
Profits of Corn Growing.
AS to the profits to be derived from
growing corn. this depends largely on
the grower. There is not much profit In
growing corn TO sell as grain, only where
one is growing special kinds for seed or
for milling purposes. Neither is there
much profit in growing corn to feed to
| stock, especially where the corn is to be
fed alone. But where corn is used in
| connection with other feed in making
balanced ration 1t becomes very val
liable Only few years ago we thought
1t impossible to farm without a good
supply of corn on hand. Then we
thought also that pork could be pro-
duced only on corn and corn products
But now the farmers cannot afford to
grow corn alone to feed to pork It has
been fully demonstrated that pork can
be produced by feeding mixed foods
made from peas. sofa beans barley oats
rye and corn. With these pasture alfalfa
or red clover. rye, oats and vetch, also
root crops. such as peanuts sweet po-
tatoes and artiehokes at a cost less than
three cents per pound. Neither is 1t adj
visable or profitable to feed our work
stock on very much corn.
All corn grown on the farm. as we'll
as all other grain, except grain grown
for seed. milling and special purposes
should he fed to stock in some form and
turned back to the soil and the most
practical and economical way to do this
Is to grind the corn and use II with meals
made from the other grains mentioned
here, thus making well balanced ration
from which the very best feeding results
are to be obtained The other grains
may be grown cheaper and besides they
should be used in a rotation of crops for
the improvement of the SOIL
Other information.
The writer of this article was for some
years secretary of the Iowa State Seed
Corn Breeders association and was one
of the pioneers in starting the movement
in that state for the Improvement Of
corn. which has led up to making Iowa
the greatest corn producing state in the
union, so that the question pertaining to
the Improvement of corn Is something
of a hobby with the writer. and we could