Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-03-04
SEED CORN SPECIAL.
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CONTINUED from Page ~
leisure time than at any other period
To select we'll one should have plenty
of room and work slowly and carefully
"The first step Is to lay the ears out
in rows on planks or tables, or If these
are not available they may be laid on
the floor Then the best ear should
be selected and with this in hand, or
more perfect ear in mind, the rows Of
ears should be gone over and all ears
discarded that do not conform to the
ideal in size, shape, color or uniform
ity of kernels. When the faulty ears,
as judged from outward appearances
have been discarded two or three ker-
nels should be taken out of each re-
naming ear and laid germ side up in
front of the ear from which they were
taken. Then with an ideal kernel in
mind, or better, with one in hand, the
ears should be gone over again and
those kernels which do not conform
to the ideal should be discarded. In
yellow corn any mixed kernels should
be taken out before Smelling as they
are more easily seen on the ear. In
white corn they should be left until
the ear is shelled as they are more
readily seen then.
''This process of selection will great
ly reduce the number of ears. For this
reason one should gather two or three
times as much seed in the fall as he
has any intention of using.
Testing Seed Corn.
after the seed ears have been care
fully selected as to character OF both
ear and kernel each ear should be
/ tested for termination. Testing each
ear separately seems at first too big
a task to undertake but experience
shows it to be practicable. The fol
lowing plan has proven very satisfac
tory: The ears are first laid out on q
table or floor BY driving nails after
each tenth ear it will only be neces
sary to number the first of each set OF
ten ears When this has been done
remove one kernel from near the butt
> middle and tip of the ear. Turn the
, ear over and remove three kernels II
like manner from the opposite side
making six kernels in all, thus secur
: ing a sample from the entire ear
Place the six kernels at the end OF the
. ear from which they were taken. b
: careful that the kernels do not ge
). mixed with the kernels from the eal
= lying next to it. Take shallow boz
: about two by three feet in size, pu
: several inches of moist sand, dirt O
~ sawdust in the bottom, place over thi
. cloth which has been ruled off int
= squares one and one-half inches eacl
;, way, numbers one, two, three and 81
+ on Place the kernels from ear NO.
. square No 2 and so on with all tn
= ears Always place the kernels germ
side up as this makes it easier to Sc
q just how strong the termination
y each kernel really is. Now place owe
this a cloth considerably larger tina
the box, cover with one and one-hal
). to two inches of sand, earth or saw
!; dust, moisten well, keep in a war;
l place, and the kernels will germinat
y. - in from three to five days. After 81
~ : days remove the cover carefully
- avoid misplacing the kernels. I
- piece of light cheese cloth placed o
% the kernels before the top covering
u put on will prevent the kernels frol
:, sticking to the cloth.) Examine Tn
u kernels in the first row of the germil
= ating box For example, If the kerne
~ in squares Nos. 4, s, 10 and 70 hay
~ failed to grow or show weak germ1n
IS ton, ears Nos. 4, 8, 10 and 20 on tt
IS floor should be rejected. Do not ia
81 to remove the ears showing wea
termination. If the ground is Co
and the weather unfavorable in tt
spring these kernels will rot, or
i they grow at all, will produce Wea
plants.
The above method is inexpensi'
and termination boxes can be prepare
:, for testing any amount of corn 7
" quired.
"This year the college tested SET
corn for more than three thousa1
y, acres by the above method. Each d;
s. one man terminated on an averae
A enough to plant thirty acres.
ID The advantage of this method
er testing over the old one of taking
er kernel from each of 100 ears and mi
ne ing them up before testing is east
We seen. BY this method if few kerne
u fail to terminate, the ears from viii
they. were taken may be discarde
while by the old method they Won
!. have to be retained even though t
ty entire ear might be of no use for see
As The value of such test as the o
en- lust described cannot be emphas1z
,er too strongly as it enables the farm
al to plant seed which he knows "
St grow if other conditions are fayorab
DID, Grading Seed Corn.
"After the seed ears have been
lected from general appearance OF
p and kernel and for their germinati
"a qualities they are ready to be grad
~ for the planter The ears should ii
be butted and tipped This is done
two reasons. In the first place b
kernels and tip kernels produce Il
than middle kernels and in the seco
place the yare so irregular in size
shape that the planter cannot d
them evenly Each ear should now
shelled by itself as this gives an
portunity to discard ears with brol
or injured kernels not discovered
I'm previous examinations. 1t also gi
10 no 1rnr