The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1905-11-02
Seed Cnrn and Cotton Seed.

Line upon line and precept upon
precept.'
Every year about this season We
urge upon our readers tie Importance
of careful selection of seed for next
years planting, but we now have thou
sands of readers who did not seA The
Progressive Farmer and Cotton Plant
at all last year, and it will not hurt
the other thousands to jog their men,
ories about this important matter.
Two or three weeks ago we had an
excellent letter from Prof. Massey on
field selection of seed and corn, and
another important letter from Mr..
George Allen on selection Of cotton
seed. Let us again call attention to
Mr.. Aliens plan for improving the
yield of cotton, for it is for our great
Southern staple crop that our farmers
select seed most recklessly. Says Mr..
Allen:
Before sending pickers into the
field, the. owner should pass through
every row, and tie strip Of white
cloth (say six inches long by half an
inch wide), on top limb Of every
stalk worth saving for seed, that Is.
those most productive, earliest in ripen.
ing, and having the largest. best
formed, and most numerous bolls.
Send q trusty woman ahead Of the
pickers at each picking time, with in
structions to pick only from marked
stalks. Carefully spread the seed cot
ton until end of season, and be pres
ent when it is ginned in December.
Pay for these pickings by the day and
not by weight"
If one farmer does not need enough
seed to justify him in asking the ginner
to keep the seed from this superior
cotton separate from the rest, let him
join with his neighbors who select the
best cotton from their fields, put all
together, and gin for all at one time.
The United States Department of Agri-.
culture says it is best not to select
seed from the first or last picking; the
second picking'is best.
Farmers show more anxiety to get
good quality of seed corn than Of cot.
ton seed. but even here their efforts
are often misdirected. 1t is custom
airy to 60 into the crib before planting
time and pick out the largest ears, and
while this method Of selection is better
than none at all, there is yet better
way. For the variety making the big
gest ear may be by no means the most
productive variety. Quite probably it
was the only ear on the stalk, while
a slightly smaller ear which you have
rejected may represent two-eared
or three-eared variety-the stalk hav-
ing these two or three smaller ears
shelling out a much larger quantity OF
corn than the stalk with only one big
ear. Suppose, for example, that stalk
No. has one large ear with 1000
grains. Stalk No. 2 has two ears with
GOO grains each-1200 grains as large
as those on stalk No. l. Stalk No. 3
has three ears-averaging 450 grains
each-1350 grains as large as those on
No. or No. 2. 1t is very easy to see
from which Of these three stalks your
seed should be saved.
The right policy then IS to go over
your field now and select your seed
corn for next year, taking the stalks
whose combined output is largest,
whether the output be the yield of one,
two or three ears. II you 90 not haul
up your own corn, possibly the best
plan is to 60 over the fields at the
proper time and cut of the selected
ears with about foot Of stalk above
and below the ears. These can then
be distinguished from the other ears
when the corn is hauled up, and the
seed corn piled to itself to be .shucked
and shelled whenever you please.
This work will require little time
and attention, but it will bring yoh
handsome returns when your corn and
cotton crops are gathered. next fall.