The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1906-10-06
FROM
PROFESSOR S0ULE
He Writes Of the Corn Exhibits At
the Recent Fair Here.
Says Such Products are Best Evidence Of FertiI.
ity Of Soil Of This Section.

10 lUf I lff lsAillts
\ most interesting display OF seed corn
was made at the fair recently held m
Frederick .aurg under the auspices of the
Rappp hammock Valley Agricultural and
Mechanical Society. Through the court
esy of the fair officials the writer WAS
requested 10 Judge the corn, and IL II
needless 10 say thar il was difficult
task, as there Were ~ ~ excellent sam
pies OF " white corn shown n one often has
thu privilege Of seeing This corn Is the
best evidence OF the fertile nature OF the
soil in the vicinity of Fredericksburg and
the best evidence that eastern Virginia II
well adapted for the production oi the
most important cereal crop, generally
speaking. grown In the State IL Il a
further evidence that live stock farming
can b. practiced successfully In this
region. and that those who have impoy-
erished soils heed not despair, for corn
enables the handling and iattening oi
larger numbers of live stock. and all now
realize that the Development Of animal
industries and the maintenance OF soil
fertility 20 hand in hand.
But 10 return again to the subject of
seed corn. IL is high time that more
attention were given 20 the careful selec-
tion Of the seed 10 be- used for next year :
crop. and while the display referred TO
was most Interesting and instructive.
10 was equally surprising 20 lind that no
two men had the same idea OF what con
stitutes "a good type of corn 10 grow un-
der the average soil and climatic cOndl-
tiOns prevailing IN this secfiun oi the
State 4 number OF larmers seem %
think that the larger the type of ear
and cob the better the corn. This j. not
true. however. Corn Ofthis character can
only be- grown successfully on the richest
type oi soil, besides. two medium sized
ears will, ~ a rule. give larger yield oi
grain than one l0rge ear. Closer plant
ing can b. practiced with smaller grow
iug varieties. which is also All advantage
and one of thu best ways of increasing
the yield. Some OF the following ob-er-
vatiOns might be made with profit oi the
exhibits shown and are well worthy OF
careful consideration.
IN some instances the grains Were too
loose ON the cob in other the grain was
too broad. in still Others there We're not
enough rows on the cob. In some the
grains were misshapen This Is Ohgc-
tionable ns they will not pass readily
through tho corn planter. and one must
remember that in selecting corn the law
Of ike producing ike should be kept
closely in mind. for the type Of ear and
grain chosen for seed from year 70 year
will have material influence on these
characteristics in the succeeding crop.
Some OF the ears were too long and
slim. An ear 10 70 y inches lOLg l.
about the right length 10 select. IL
should be- well balanced, that j.. the
rows should run straight and uniformly
from butt TO tip, the grains covering the
extremities OF the ear uniformly The
ears should lie OF practically the same
circumference at butt and tip. The grain
should be only fairly wide, but rather long
and deep II should be free from chaii on
top and Of a uniformly white color " hite
corn should have a white cob and yellow
corn a yellow cob Most OF the samples
contained ears OF mixed types. This Is
Objectionable. Select for one Uniform
type a. nearly a. possible. Discard all
the ears that do not come up 10 the
standard. no matter how large they may
be. DO not attempt to maintain too
large "a type OF ear. The soil Is frequent
Is not strong enough 10 stand II, and
besides, overly large coarse ears are gen
orally associated with overly large coarse
stalks aud an Overabundance OF fodder
is not a desirable quality in good corn.
This lack OF uniformity OF the type OF ear
selected was one of the most marked
characteristics Oi the exhibit, aud il Is
one OF the most important lessons for the
farmer who hopes to produce an excellent
quality Of seed corn 10 learn.
The writer realizes that many OF those
present would feel that the large type Of
ear was the one to select, but some thir-
teen years experience IN the handling OF
a great many varieties OF corn under ex-
detrimental conditions has established
firmly in his mind that this is a mistaken
idea. OF course, much can be said Tor
and against various varieties Of corn.
Some types are better adapted to certain
soils than other. For instance, Hickory
King will do exceptionally well on thin
poor land az compared with other va
rieties that might be used. For a
general all-purpose variety Boone
County White is a good one to use,
though there are many Others equally as
good.
Few of the varieties of corn displayed
in this contest were named. This Is a
matter OF minor Importance, however
The first thing is to secure type and
quality and then by rigid selection main
tain and increase the yield. The tirst
prize sample was very uniform and ex-
cellant in most respect. The second and
third nrize samples were also very uni
form lint the ears We're a little slender
and did not show as many rows Us the
writer would like to have seen
and the third prize corn was not as firm
ON the cob as il desirable. But they
were excellent samples and the defects
mentioned can be overcome In com
paratively short time by careful selec
ton. Two excellent lots OF corn known
as 33 and Blk were shown. These lack
ed uniformity and were overly large, ol
else they would have come in for second
and third place. These defects can easily
be remedied and the hard fiinty charaet'l
of the grain and the excellent types o
some Of the ears shown are an evidenc'
that this Is a splendid type Of corn foi
fredericksburg and vicinity.
Andrew NJ. Soule,
Dean and Director
Virginia Experiment Station, Blacks
burp. Va Oct. 2nd. 1906.