The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1908-02-19
MORE ABOUT SEED CORN.


Through the kindness of the editor
| have been permitted to correct thu
statement made by Mr.. Bradley Lee
of Milford township in recent issue
of the Bulletin which some of YOU
readers possibly have read.
In the first place, Mr.. Lee was mis-.
informed in regard to the handful OF
corn which Mr.. Lee. Jr.. took home
from here. The corn did spruut in
my test box but showed weakness.
The stalk sprout failed to appear.
The temperature of my box is such
that nothing but the strongest will
germlnate. That is the only kind any
sane farmer would plant. 1t is bet
ter to be safe than sorry. To be
safe, is to know that the actual ger
minating power of every ear of seed
corn. Mr.. Lee says the kernels were
put in dirt and kept with the other
plants in the house from freezing.
We wonder if Mr.. Lee ever heard of a
person putting their house plants out
in the ground the same time the corn
is planted. In this locality it is done
in June. so he tested the corn for
June planting and | tested it for May.
1t is common thing to hear of farm
ers Smelling few kernels off the
butt of several ears of their seed corn.
planting them in box of dirt. such
as Mr.. Lee did. counting the grains
when the stalks appear. A percent
age of the good is taken and plates
are used in the planter large enough
to make up for the poor seed. This
is better than no test at all but far
from the up-to-date method. A poor
ear of seed corn discarded means not
only a saving of land. but also saw.
ing of time and labor on hundreds of
weak and worthless stalks. A few
hours spent each week during the
winter months will return twenty
times the cost at picking time. and
twenty to twenty-five bushels more
per acre means considerable to the
farmer on the s1OO. 90 an acre land.
We would advise the farmers to
pay no attention to these Jack knife
testers who are liable to make fun of
you for going to the trouble. 1t is
trouble. but time we'll spent. wish
to ask Mr.. Lee why the state average
has increased eleven bushels per acre
since Prof. Holden commenced the
corn gospel work. l don't believe it
is because of the Jack knife test. If
so. why are so many of the farmers
using the sawdust and water test
Out of about twelve bushels that
have tested l have thrown out l 1-3
bu. and l feel safe in saying that al
most every ear would have grown if
given Mr.. Lees house plant test.
The 81 kernels of corn which Mr.. Lee.
Jr.. took home were from the weak
ear only. If he had taken the same
number from strong ear we think
he would have seen considerable
difference in the sprouting. If we
were sure of warm weather all through
May it would not be necessary to test
the corn SO closely. The changeable
weather is what we want to guard
against. The test box is the farmers
standby.
In conclusion and for the benefit OF
Mr.. Lee will give the result of an
experiment / made with the sawdust
and damp rags VS. the dirt test.
prepared two boxes of the same size.
one was flied with saw dust. the other
dirt. l then took four kernels from
the butt OF an ear and in the same
row two were put in the dirt and
others in sawdust. Then four more
from the same ear near the tip and
placed them the same as the butt
kernels. After about five days ex-
mined the boxes. the temperature
being the same. l found the sawdust
box sprouted ready for change where
the dirt test had not made its appear
ance. l left it for nine days and af-
ter comparing the two l found the
sawdust was 81 per cent strong. per
cent weak; the dirt 80 per cent
strong. s per cent weak. find the
sawdust far ahead of the dirt. it being
easier to handle and we have a better
chance to study the root development
which is very important. it being i'm
possible with the dirt test.
Yours for better seed corn.
C. d. FINK.