The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1905-11-30

/ tuf OF the homestead, ~ no Eh&nd
NJ the display " MMhaska county
corn entered III the frnnkei Bank
contest Tuesday Afternoon, "dont
need any speaker brought from a
distance 10 tell him Rowland yet,
Mr.. Atkinson was able 10 tell tho
farmers present some things, At
least, about corn growing, and TO OK.
plain many points In connection with
his work as Judge OF the contest.
His talk was Allied with practical
knowledge arising from hls expert.
ence as farmer, and his knowledge
MS teacher and an authority on az,
riculturnl topics, being formerly con.
nected with one OF tho great agri.
cultural schools.
Mr. Atiinson's talk was tlnged all
through with references to the i'm.
presBive showing OF Mahaska county
corn made yesterday, and his appre.
citation OF Charles Roe's prize win
ming corn was great. 1t Ii superb,
said Professor Atkinson OF the
young mans selection from $50
bushels of seed corn raised by him
this year.
Repeatedly during the day Mr. At.
kinson referred to the general excel
lence OF the Mahaska county exhibit
in the contest, and remarked that 1t
was no wonder that the county yield
averaged Ave bushels more than that
OF the state.
In beginning his address on the
subject, "The Improvement of Corn
and Other Cereal Crops" Mr.. Akin.
son called attention TO the great i'm.
proyement that may be made in
small grain by the use Of the tanning
mill. HeNshowed that as a result OF
seven years experimental work the
grading Of oats with a tanning mill
increased the Yield as much as nr-
teen bushels per acre. Experiments
In grading wheat and barley showed
similar improvement. In other
words, where the heavy, plump grain
only is Bown, II will increase the
yield in the various species OF small
grain all the way from Ave TO fifteen
bushels per acre. Where one grows
an much as twenty or thirty acres
Of small grain there IL no investment
that will be- more profitable than the
purchase OF a good tanning mill.
A question from the audience
brought up the subject OF smut"
and In answer TO this Mr.. Atkinson
stated that this waB one problem
that has been absolutely solved by
the experiment stations. For peri
cd OF ten years he has Jeen treating
small grain for smut, and stated as
a result OF this experience that the
use OF one pound Of formalin TO for.
~ gallons Of water was a sure pro.
tentative Of smut. Tho grain should
be placed on close floor and thor.
oughIy saturated with this mixture
in the meantime keeping II well
stirred 30 that the wettlng will be
uniform. Then shovel the grain into
a steep pile, cover with sacks or
blankets and allow TO remain for a
period Of two hours. Hasten drying
by scattering grain and frequently
stirring II.
At the beginning OF his talk on
corn Mr.. Atkinson first stated that
the character OF the display on the
table indicated that many men in
the locality we're not only experts
in the selection of corn, but 1t was
plainly apparent that they must also
be good farmers, because good corn
rs never the result Of hit or miss
methods. The question OF variety
came in for good deal OF discussion
and III this connection II was point
ed out that in the very nature, OF
the case II IL a difficult matter TO
keep varieties OF corn pure, owing 10
the fact that the wind scatters the
pollen OVER distance Of even halr
mile, when conditions are fayora
bic. In spite OF thiJ fact, a few va.
.ieties have distinct ear marks. For
example, Legal Tender" Reeds
Yellow Dent" Iowa Silver Nine
Iowa Gold Nine" Boone County
White" and Leaning" These corns
II given half chance win certainly
out.yield scrub varieties Where one
IL growing q variety that does not
reproduce itself vita any degree OF
uniformity In the matter of type; II II
does not mature at the proper time;
II the cob is too big or II 1t has any
other weakness common TO scrub
corn, II should gradually BIO discard.
ed and pure bred variety put in
it's place. DO not make the miSta2e
of importing corn In large quaint
ties from other states or even any
considerable distance In this state,
for the reason that you can never
tel how a variety will act under
new set OF conditions. From the
specimens on the table II is plainly
apparent that there IL plenty OF good
corn in this locality, and those who
are not satisfied with what they are
growing should go to the farms OF
those who have shown good corn to.
day and make purchase. II need
not DO enough to plant your entire
acreage, but certainly start along
right lines should be made.
On the question OF saving seed
oorn AZ AfLtuanu rSaa arnrhaffn In