Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1909-12-02
SEED SELECTION.
The Importance Of Great Care In This
RualneaS.


| One OF the familiar Aphorsms on the
farm Is that like breeds like" and
while this principle OF type reproduc-
ton has been observed quite generally
in stock-raising its application to plant
! life has been less common. Modern agri-
cultural methods are requiring more and
more the careful selections Of seeds to
produce the best results in the harvest
| In n recent issue Of Farm and Gar
den J. e. Morse makes the following
suggestions on the proper manner Of
choosing and caring for seed:
| After the crop is harvested is by no
means an opportune time for the selec-
ton Of seed as we then have no cppor-
tunty Of Judging of the habits of
growth or the particular source from
which the seed stock came, While
growing. We may judge OF these impor-
tant points and they have much TO DO
with the desirability or otherwise of sue
Is tho opportune season for saving tho
seed potatoes rs usually there IL enough
Of the vines left to indicate their vigor
and hardness In comparison with the sur
rounding hills. And so with other crops.
AS to care and curing, the utmost care
is none to much to bestow upon the
seeds or other stock. The former should
be thoroughly dried before putting away
and carefully stored In a dry place where
moisture will not gather and tempera-
lures vary as little as possible. All that
are liable become infested with insects
rs peas. beans. cts. should be furngatel
| which is 4 simple and inexpensive pro-
cess. a box or other receptacle that Is
or can be made air tight will answer the
purpose. AS many kinds as is desirable
may be treated at the same time only
so they co not get mixed. 4 one-pound
can OF carbon Of sulphate which should
not cost over % cents will treat many
bushels of seed. Place the seeds In
bulk in the box. pour tablespoonful or
more Of the liquid in saucer or any
convenient earthen vessel. Set this upon
the seeds and close the lid tightly. Let
It remain thus for few hours and 1t
will destroy the bugs or weevil ard they
will be put out OF com mission, and so
also will the operator be II through care
lessnese. It IL inhaled Care also must he
taken not to get 1t near the fire as II
very innammabe Peas. beans, etc,
thus treated will not be injured for food.
only so they are thoroughly aired. Large
bins OF grain can titus be treated as
where placed on top Of the grain II will
touch every kernel.
After estimating that farmers Of the
Dakotns lost sc. 90 ora last year, through
imperfect stands of corn. Dakota Farm
err says:
There is probably no one detail Of IA rm-
ing operations that, properly attended
to. will bring so great financial returns
az the careful selection Of seed corn.
Tho first step in selection should he made
as soon as the early ears are fairly we'll
matured. and before frost comes. Go
to the ned and select good early ears
from thrifty strong stalks, studying the
character Of the stalk as we'll as the ear.
Choose ears placed Mt the proper height
on the stalk. not too low and not too high
See that the ear droops sufficiently 10
shed water and dc not use those that re-
main upright on the stalk. Husk the So
lected ears. tying them together in such
a manner that they do not come in con-
tact with each other ard hang them in
some place where there IS free circu-
, lation OF air and be sure that thev arc
removed to frost-proof quarters before
hard freezing weather comes. The pur.
pose OF this is to Thoroughly dry out
out the cob and corn. II corn 10 per-
fectly dry it Will not be injured by fees
ing but, it Is practically impossible to
dry so dry 1t and thus It Is essential
that 1t be stored in frost-proof quarters
Points to DE observed in the selection
OF seed are elaborated In Oklahoma
Farm Journal os follows
| Since men have come to study corn
closely they have learned that the stalk
, and kernel ore the important features as
well as the ear itself Most farmers
however, still, consider only the ear, But
little real progress can be made toward
development unless the entire plant is
considered. An ear may he large be-
cause II grew on n stalk with more than
average feeding space or had other adj
vantages. Great size. when due TO this
cause will not he transmitted, Then the
position OF the ear upon the stalk inhu-
ences the time Of ripeniny and the ability
OF tho stalk 10 stand against a storm
The higher the ear upon the stalk the
later 1t will he In maturing and the more
easily It will blow over.
Again the proximity Of barren OF
otherwise imperfect stalks that may have
value for seed, although the car itscli
may not show such defects These and
4 many other reasons make 1t important
/ that seed corn should be selected In tho
neld before the crop is harvested, so tha
tho entire plant and it's environment may
D be studied
q The desirable stalk for most soils Il
y os medium size both In height and di
ameter, but with large. broad leaves
a The ear should be borne not higher