Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-03-02
Institutions Under Board OF
Control Not Required to
Seek Seed Elsewhere
cowNlE's VIEWS ON TESTING
Don't Think Much of New Tangled
Methods and Devices - Box of Dirt
the Best - Poor Seed Last Year
Cost Farmers of Iowa $45,oooo 600
Points on Selection.
Special to Times-Republican.

| Special to Times Republican.
Des Moines March with the
samples of seed corn from the thir-
teen state institutions, Hon. John Cow
ME, of the state board of control this
ear tested samples of seed corn from
one of the progressive farmers of the
state. The lowest test for any of the
state corn showed 40 grains out of so
sprouted and healthy. That of the
farmer showed 81 grains of the 80
sprouted but many of the stacks weak
and small.
"There is the best object lesson to
the farmers of Iowa that it would be
possible to secure said Mr.. CoWnie.
| who has raised more than fifty crops
of corn in Iowa. Corn properly Sc
lected in the field and properly cared
for during the winter should all grow.
| 1t should be 100 per cent stand.
| have made some failures of corn crops
during the half century that l have
been raising corn in Iowa. have
made some failures that have cost me
money, and l believe now that | have
| learned the business.
| I'm the first place right now is the
| time to test seed corn. The farmer
should not wait till few days before
time to plant Furthermore l believe
| in testing the corn in dirt and not be-
tween some nice clean blotting paper.
| Out here in another city there is a
man who, makes Il device for testing
seed corn ! wouldn't give two cents
| for It, They lay the corn between
sheets of paper and wet the paper and
| if it sprouts then they consider IT
| good.
THE best seed corn tester in the
world is a cigar box with some dirt in
it, Look at. this box here of corn from
farmer friends supply. Only 81
! grains out of 50 sprouted. and look
how weak some of the stalks are. They
sprouted here under the most favor
able conditions. Out in the field much
of that would never have sprouted
at all.
Poor seed corn last year cost the
farmers of Iowa S4o,000,00O Iowa has
annually about 100000 acres of corn.
There was only about one-third stand
last year and it was due to poor seed
corn I know most farmers blamed
the weather. but the real trouble was
their seed corn. The test for seed corn
should be in dirt and after 1t Is sprout-
ed it should be continued till the
stalks are three or four inches high to
determine whether or not it has vital
jty. Seed corn should be selected from
the field before October l and thru the
winter should be kept in a room where
the temperature never goes below
freezing. The parlor is none to good
a. room to keep seed corn in
Agent Green Of the Indian reserva-
ton at Tama, Attorney General Byers
and Governor Cummins in conference
Saturday, thrashed out the controversy
that has been pending since 1895 as to
certain land in the reservation.
Under an act Of congress certain
lands were decided to Governor Grimes
as trustee for five named Indian chiefs.
When it came to question of his
successors in office deciding the land to
the interior department on behalf OF
the tribe at Tama, question arose as to
IIle TUE anu LuG pOWSA VI llC 6CSSA VI
as trustee to deed land which was held
for named persons instead of the tribe.
The law was passed by congress IN
1896, authorizing the transfer by the
governor on behalf Of the tribe.
In 1898 the federal court sitting at
Cedar Rapids decided that the title to
the land was in the tribe instead of the
named chiefs in the deed, and so de-
creed, directing the governor to make
the deed. Governor Shaw was in the
executive office when the title was 81
Quoted and did not make the deeds.
Recently the matter was called to the
attention of Governor Cummins.
Saturday the attorney general and
the agent for the Indians got together
with the governor and the attorney
general rendered an opinion to the eff
feet that the law and the federal court
decree authorized the governor to make
the deed for the land to the interior
department at Washington, and this
will be. done.
Secretary Of State w. e. Hayward
this week will begin the distribution of
the book he has just published con-
tanning the addresses delivered at the
dedication Of the Iowa soldier monu
ments in 1906 at Vicksburs:, Anderson.