The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1906-12-26

The department of agriculture's
preliminary estimate Of the 1906
corn crop points to total yield OF
little over 2,S81,000,0OO bushels,
an amount beyond our powers OF
realization and almost staggering the
Imagination. The figures are sub
iect to revision, but in all probable
ity will not be materially changed.
The total value of the crop is per-
haps a little under that OF 1908.
What strikes one forcibly in con-
sidering this vast aggregate is the
comparatively low general average
of production per acre, which is given
at 3O.2 bushels of shelled corn. The
states of the corn belt" run much
above this, but in the states below
the Potomac and Ohio rivers the ay-
erage, in some cases, runs down TO
18. II, 16. Is, and even as low as
II bushels per acre.
Many factors enter into the pro-
duction of a great crop of corn, as
of ANYTHING else-soil, fertility,
proper cultivation, the character OF
the season. etc.-but the attention
of southern farmers might well be
called to a practice which, experts
say. will make a most surprising
difference in the results of the years
work with this cereal. The practices
referred to is the planting Of only
good, healthy well-selected SEED
nhinPt Df
proving both the stand and the yield
of the crop.
The task is not a troublesome one,
but if it was the results Will am
ply Justify the farmer in taking
some pains with his seed for one acre.
Preparatory to a termination test
ears of desirable type should be
laid aside, and this can be done by
simply throwing to one side the
finest and best filled ears observed
when the crop is gathered or at husk-
ing time A good seed ear should
be cylindrical of shape, we'll rounded
at the ends, cob neither too large nor
too small, and with kernels uniform
in shape and fitting compactly togeth-
er. Length of kernel is a desirable
quality, in general, though a SOFT,
chaffy cap is not. Any method OF
storing these selected ears which will
insure their being kept dry and well
aired is good, and to this end they
should not, of course, be thrown into
a heap, but spread out or hung up
so that the air may circulate around
them.
This rough selection is only pre-
liminary to the real test-germina-
tion-which should be conducted five
or six weeks before planting time.
Six kernels from each ear give re-
liable results, the six being taken
from different points as regards both
the length and the circumference OF
the ear. Some system of numbering
the ears must be adopted in order
to identify the results of the tests
with the ears from which kernels
have been chosen. A terminating
box or boxes should be at hand, the
simplest form being a shallow wood
-eR tray containing soil or sand, SO
divided into plots or squares that the
kernels from each ear OF corn may
be kept together.
In q box recommended by the de-
partment of agriculture FARMERS
Bulletin No. 253) the seed bed, in
stead of being composed of soil or I
sand, is simply two or three thick
nesses of heavy cotton flannel, mark
ed off into numbered squares and
saturated with water. The kernels
from ear No. /, say, are placed IN
square No 1 and so on until all are
filled Then a cover of the same ma