Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1909-03-03

- y
FIG. xv-oNE OF ran uEsr WAYS - uANo
UP Sled CORN.
ably the more important We have
already learned how the piaui obtains
food and water from the SOIL y-he
first step in preparing the soil for a
corn crop. then. is TO see that tner' is
plentiful supply of plant food ON
hand. This we can do b. using ia rn-
yard manure literally and lay f, w
INK 4 consistent system IL rotI ,an
that will equalize the dcmards radc
on the soil and keep up the supply OF
nitrogen and humus.
The next point IS 10 see That the soil
is in such condition that ,l- goots
will have little difficulty IN hiaacaiae
out 20 secure the needed Plant food
and water. Thorough blowing. dish
inc and narrowing Will make the Sail
fine and mellow. so that the roots
will have li;tle trouble In olta.niu9
all the plant food they can use. pro
viced il Is there at alli
The water supply can be regulated
20 considerable extent by tile drain
age and lay keeping the surface iousc
20 check evaporation. The iclancra-
ture OF the soil is also an Important
factor I'm Fastening termination and
carly growth Drainage. cultie lion
and the maintenance OF plc-;4ful
supply OF humuS viii aid greatly in
securing warm seed bed 10y planting
time.
With 4 warm. wei prepared soil
containing sufficient quantities Of
plant food and water the next ques-
ton that comes up is regarding the
kind Of seed TO put into that soil Al.
most any kind Of seed VIII grow and
produce fair crop under favorable
conditions. What we are after how
ever, is not fair crop. but an extra
good one.
The seed OF different strains Of corn
varies greatly In its ability Ia produce
yields. In the spring Of 1905 The Iowa
experiment station gathered seed from
nearly hundred different sources ana
planted IL on the station grounds Tn
der conditions that were rs nearly
alike as IL was possible TO make them
the yields from the different strains
varied from thirty-one 10 clcilty rush.
els per acre. This variation shows
that large share OF the Improvement
In corn production must come through
the breeding Of high yicldiny strains.
II Is not safe To ship ia seed corn
from distance. Corn Is very scnsi
tive TO changes In climate and soil To
obtain the best results the work Of
breeding must he done FOR each local
ity and 10 some extent for each farm
a method Of improving seed corn
that will surely result IN some i'm
provement and one that has simplicity
10 recommend IL is that Of selecting a
number of the best ears each year and
planting them in n field by themselves
or In one corner Of the main field. By
selecting the best ears from this breed
ing plot each year to plant next years
breeding plot and using the rest of
the good ears to plant I'm the main
field some Improvement can be effect.
ed. The weak point In this plan. how
ever. Is that the yielding power Of an
ear cannot be told from it's appear
ance. Neither is it possible to prevent
~ SUI - a llltAINU.
To avoid these difficulties the "Indl.
vidual ear plot has been devised. This
should preferably be at, least forty
rods from the nearest cornfeId. Where
this is impossible n strip along the
south side Of field Of the same vari-
ETY. may be used. AS the prevailing
July and August winds are from the
south, very little pollen from the main
field will blow over on the breeding
plot.
Each row in the individual ear plot
Is to be planted with the Kernels from
single ear. AS any fair sized ear
VIII plant row forty rods lonr. this
is a convenient length fer tie plot
Select from 20 to 100 Of the best ears
Sou can find among your seed corn
and plant them I'm as many rows
across the plot The work can be
done with planter il care Is taken
to clean the seed boxes cut tharou IN.
ly each time across. The cultivation
given to the plot should he the same