Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1906-10-26
Select the Seed Corn Now.

If a farmer wishes really first-class
seed corn in all respects he must ser
lect it on the stalk, whether the Sc
lection be made in the corn field or in
the breeding patch. Why? Because,
In order to make a proper selection it
is necessary to study the stalk as we'll
as the ear not merely with reference
to its size, vigor, and to location of
the ear on the stalk, but with refer
ence to its period of maturity. Every
farmer knows that there is a differ
ence of from a week to ten days, or
even more, in the maturity OF the
different ears in the corn field. There
Is variation in the grains from a
single a in every conceivable direc-
tion. Some grains will mature earli-
er, some later than others. Some
will develop vigorous stalks with
large ears; others weak stalks with
small ears; and still others extremely
large stalks with ne ear at all. 1t Is
tions (for the law of variation is quite
as uniform and as important as the
law of heredity) that Improvement is
possible. If the farmer has corn that
is a trifle large for its environment he
should select the earlier ears. II too
small for it's environment in other
words, If it could use ten or fifteen
days more of summer heat select the
later. But it is in all cases by taking
advantage of this law of variation
that we make the improvement
which is to be perpetuated by that
other law of heredity. We are quite
well aware that to select seed corr by
this method, even for a forty-acre
field, will take considerable time and
labor. To 60 through the field with
a sack on the shoulder and study the
stalk from which each desirable ear
lgrows, the location of the ear on the
stalk, its earliness or lateness, takes
time. Rut we know of nc employ
ment at this of the year that will give
a better wage.
To secure seed corn for forty acres
a farmer would need to select about
six bushels; in order to get the very
best, select twelve and out of these
select the six best. Suppose it took
him a week to make the selection.
The increase would pay a big weeks
wage.
OF course it is much easier to faSten
a basket to the real of the wagon and
at husking time throw the best ears
into the basket, or when feeding the
corn to cattle select carefully the best
ears from time to time. This is an
easy way and is a vast improvement
on the old method of getting corn out
of the crib, but it is by no means the
best way. The good farmer hopes, be-
fore he dies, to grow mi hundred
bushels to the acre from a forty-acre
field. This can be done in q very
favorable season, but it cannot be
done without some years previous
study Of the best methods of selecting
seed corn, and to do it one must
study corn on the stalk as well as in
the ear. The labor in selecting this
seed corn may be greatly diminished
If the farmer will take our advise and
devote half an acre of fairly good land
to the production of corn for seed.
He can usually on this half acre pro-
duce enough of the very choicest ears
to furnish seed for a sufficient patch
for next years sowing, and enough
good cor besides for a twenty acre
field. He a begin next year by tax
ing the very best seed ears that he
can find and thus lay the foundation
for future improvement.
We do not expect many Of our read
ers to follow our advise-to select
their seed corn now-but hope that
the 'elect" the very choicest and
most enterprising corn growers, will
see the wisdom of selecting their seed
corn On or about the 18th Of October.
-Wallace'S Farmer.