The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1906-03-23
Big Yield of Corn Due to
Proper Seed Selection.

Proper Seed Selection.
That the average yield of corn
to the acre III Maryland is larger
than in the great corn growing
States of Iowa. Missouri. Kansas
and Nebraska is perhaps not gem
orally known, even by our own
people, Yet that such lSl the ease
is shown by the official figures of
the United States Government.
According to these. the average
yield of corn to the acre in Mary
land for the year 1905 was 800
bushels This was 81 bushels
larger than the yield for 1904 and
was a still larger increase over the
average for the 10 years previous.
This increase on each of the 62S,-
195 acres planted in corn in this
State last year, amounts to .. 300
1873 bushels of corn, which at 80
cents n huShel. means that the
farmers of the State have Sl.l00,-
39l more because of the better
crop.
This increase it is asserted by
agricultural experts, is largely
due to the better care in the Sc.
lection OF the seed, which was
first Systematically practiced by
Mary land farmers last YEAR. The
seed com specials, which were
run on some of the railroads
through the inStrumentali!y of
Mr. G. BoSley Littig. the Agri-
cultural College, and Experiment
Station were brought directly
home to "A large number of grow
erS the almost miraculous possi-
bilitieS to be gained from planting
none but tested kernels, each of
which could be relied upon to pro-
duce strong, ear bearing stalks,
and many who did not or could
not attend the lectures and dem
onStrationS given on the special
trains had their interest aroused
through the press and followed
the methods advocated by the eX-
pertS. 1t is believed that the
scientific selection of seed will be
observed to even greater extent
this year, with corresponding
increase in the yield. Advanced
farmers assert that the ultimate
limit of production of the corn is
still far ahead, and that with care
full seed selection and intelligent
cultivation Maryland can astonish
the world with her production of
this important cereal.
Every farmer who grows corn
in this State would fluid it profit
able to read bulletin No. II, of
the Iowa Experiment Station.
Last year the Iowa Station secur-
ed 1000 samples of the seed corn
! used by farmers in that State.
Many of the samples were taken
from the planter boxes in the field,
and all of them represented the
actual corn planted. The tests
showed that 10 per cent. of all tins
seed failed to Sprout, even under
the most favorable conditions.
Twenty one per cent. more made
weak sprouts which would never
have developed into vigorous ear
bearing stalks. Thus only 60 per
cent. of the seed was fit to plant.
This means that the stand of corn
in the field was only about 60 per
cent. of what it should have been.
The bulletin explains in detail a
simple method any farmer can use
that will enable him to pick out
only the good seed for planting,
thus enSuring practically a per-
feet stand of corn, if the planting
is carefully done. Ifevery farmer
in the State of Maryland grew a
perfect stand of corn the average
Yield of this important crop would
probably Ge % per cent. greater
than it is When such results can
be had practically without expense
WIN one or TWO days work during
the latter part of the winter when
farm work is slack, the farmer
can not afford to neglect it. 1t
is certain that the average farmer
can increase his yield of corn 10
per cent. by properly selecting his
seed. This valuable bulletin eau
he had by addressing Prof. p. G.
Holden, Ames, Iowa. There is
yet time to get the bulletin ard
select aud test seed corn before
planting time We hope every
farmer who reads this may send
for the bulletin, and make use of
the information it contains.