The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1906-04-07
SELECT SEE CORN NOW.
Tests Show Loss Will Follow Indis-
crimindfe PIanfinu.

There is apparently more than usual
reason why farmers should this spring
thoroughly test their seed corn before
planting. There is still abundant time
for this. and examination of many sam
pies of the corn gathered last fall indi-
Gates that, from several causes, Il large
percentage of the kernels are deficient
in terminating power. Prof. u. G. HOl-
den. the great corn expert of the West
has prepared a bulletin, issued by the
Iowa State Agricultural College, which
deals exhaustively with experiments
made at the Iowa Experiment Station.
The some conditions which he describes
probably affected the grain gathered in
Maryland. and his observations should
be of great value to our farmers.
There seems to be a general impress
sion" says Prof. Holden, ''that. since
the corn apparently dried out well last
fall, there will be 10 danger of having
poor seed. The fact is that there has
seldom been so large percentage of the
corn which was killed. Frequently one
ear will be good and the very next one
poor;o side of the ear may be alive and
the other one dead. and. of two neigh
boring kernels on the same ear one will
grow and the other will not
CAUSE OF POOR SEED.
''Tfis peculiar condition is probably
due principally to three causes FIRST
the season was slow ana the corn did
not mature properly. and. as a conSe-
Quencc, there WIS an unusually large
amount of moisture left in the corn The
shrinknge experiments. which have been
carried on by the Station. show that the
corn contained an average of about SO
per cent. of water at the beginning of
the crinning season. Second. the dry
weather during October dried the corn
off hand it appeared to he dry when in
reality it was not Many were so conf
dent that the corn was dry and would
keep, that 70 pains We're taken to store
1t in dry place. Third. the unusually
cola weather during the latter part of
November and first Of December either
killed the germ or weakened it greatly.
except where the seed was protected or
where unusual pains had been taken to
dry il ont throughly.
''Seed corn that was stored in a dry
place, such rs the attic before October
20, is in good condition except in some
cases whore the corn nodded or grew. on
both. from the lack of ventilation.
TRY KNOWN VARIETIES.
while it is not advisable to grow a
large acreage of any new or nntried
variety, the farmer should find out what
variety is best suited TO his conditions
This can be learned only by growing
small plats of the most promising varie-
ties. When the most suitable variety
has been secured pure seed should be
obtained and the best ears planted on
one side of the field. 1t is preferable
to have this breeding plat on the south
or west side of the field, that the pre-
vailing winds may not carry pollen from
the rest OF the field on the breeding plat
"If corn of another variety should he
within n quarter of a mile of the breed
ing plat the varieties are liable to be.
come mixed. In such II case the breed
ing plat should be located as far from
the varieties rs possible. or if no other
protected place is to be had. the selected
ears may he planted in the central part
of the field. When very little seed corn
can be had. it may be planted in n block
in one corner of the field for if planted
in long narrow strips the polarization is
sure to be poor.
This method Of painting the choices
ears on one side of the field is an easy