The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1907-02-16
SEED CORN AND SEED BEDS.
Journal Of agriculture.

journal OF AgTtcnttuTe.
For several years great deal of attention has
been paid to the question of seed corn, how it
should be selected, how stored and how tested.
Several of our AGRICULTURAL colleges have been
making special efforts to instruct the farmers
of their states upon the points of seed-corn and
how to tell good ear when they see it. A num-
Der of the railroads have been running seed corn
specials through the farming sections to stir up
deeper interest in the questions of better corn
for seed purposes.
The seed-corn question is a very important
one. With good seed the farmer is much nearer
a successful yield than he is viii h poor seed. If
he knows what it takes to make good ear of
corn he knows how to obey the law of selection.
1t becomes an easy matter for him to grade up
his corn to higher standard. Too much can
not be said in favor of good seed and its i'm
portance in insuring heavy yield of corn.
However, seed is not the only essential in the
production of corn. No matter how good the
seed may be and how carefulyit may have been
selected, you cannot have good corn without
good soil. The writer sometimes thinks that the
farmer stands better show in having good corn
if he plants poor seed upon excellent soil than
he would If he planted excellent seed upon poor
soil. Good seed is to insure perfect and uni
form ger rnination, but after the seed has germi-
mated its function has been performed and the
soil must continue the work. If the soil con-
tains the proper amount of plant food and mois-
ture the plant will continue to grow and per-
form its functions. If it does not the corn will
be failure. no matter how perfect and uniform
the seed may have been.
We believe that there is not enough attention
paid to the question Of seed beds while the Ques-
ton of seed-corn is being considered. In our
seed-corn schools. seed corn judging contests
aud seed corn specials, with our desire to learn
more about seed, we lose sight of the Importance
of soil. We get into the habit of thinking that
a successful corn crop all depends upon the at
tention before termination. We lose sight of
what is necessary after termination. AS said
before, seed is important. but in learning more
aboutit we should remember that its importance
ceases with termination and if we would have
a profitable crop of corn we must study the
things necessary after termination.
The amount of plant food in a soil and its
power to retain moisture during the dry months
are, perhaps, the most important of these. This
is, beyond doubt, the most opportune time of
the year for the farmer to study the needs and
requirements of the soil he intends for corn.
We may study how to select seed corn now, but
we will have no chance to put our knowledge
into practice till next fall. On the other hand,
If we study the needs and requirements of the
soil. we can now be building it up with manure
before it is ready to be prepared in the spring.
Itisall right to improve our knowledge in seed
corn, but in so doing do not lose sight of the fact
that soils play an important part and must not
be overlooked.