Milford chronicle., 1909-11-12

| FIG. XV-ONE OF THE BEST WAYS To HANG
UP SEED CORN.
ably the more important. We have
already learned how the plant obtains
food and water from the soil. The
first step in preparing the soil for a
corn crop, then. Is to see that there is
a plentiful supply of plant food on
hand. This we can do by using barn
yard manure literally and by follow
ing a consistent system Of rotation
that will equalize the demands made
on the soil and keep up the supply of
nitrogen and humus.
The next point is to see that the soil
Is in such condition that the roots
will have little difficulty in branching
out to secure the needed plant food
and water Thorough blowing disk
ing and narrowing will make the soil
fine and mellow, so that the roots
will have little trouble in obtaining
all the plant food they can use, pro
vided It is there at all.
The water supply can be regulated
to a considerable extent by tile drain
age and by keeping the surface loose
to check evaporation. The temporal
ture of the soil IS also an important
factor in Fastening termination and
early growth. Drainage, cultivation
and the maintenance of a plentiful
supply of humus will aid greatly in
securing a warm seed bed by planting
time.
With a warm. we'll 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 will grow and
produce a fair crop under favorable
conditions. What we are after, how
ever, is not a fair crop. but an extra
good one.
The seed of different strains of corn
varies greatly in its ability to produce
yields. In the spring of 1905 the Iowa
experiment station gathered seed from
nearly a hundred different sources and
planted it on the station grounds. IN +
der conditions that were as nearly
alike as It was possible to make them
the yields from the different strains
varied from thirty-one to eighty bush
els per acre. This variation shows
that a large share of the Improvement
In corn production must come through
the breeding Of high yielding strains.
It is not safe to ship in seed corn
from a distance. Corn is very sensi.
tive to changes in climate and soil. To
obtain the best results the work OF
breeding must be done for each local
ty and to some extent for each farm.
A method of improving seed corn
hat will surely result in some i'm
1rovement and one that has simplicity
o recommend IT is that OF selecting a
lumber of the best ears each year and
PLANTING them in field by themselves
IT in one corner Of the main field. By
selecting the best ears from this breed
ng plot each year to plant next years
breeding plot and using the rest Of
he good ears to plant in the main
ield some improvement can be effect
d. The weak point I'm this plan, how
yer. is that the yielding power of an
ar cannot be told from its appear
nee. Neither is It possible to prevent
by such a method
To avoid these difficulties the 'lndl-
-idual ear plot has been devised. This Z
hould preferably be at least forty
DDS from the nearest cOrnield. Where
his is impossible a strip along the 2
outh side of a field Of the same vari- :
ty may be used. AS the prevailing !
uly and August winds are from the !
Duth. very little pollen from the main /
ED will blow over on the breeding 4
lot. :
Each row in the individual ear plot =
to be planted with the kernels from T
single ear. As any fair sized ear a
ill plant a row forty rods long, this 6
a convenient length for the plot H
elect from 80 to 100 of the best ears I,
on can find among your seed corn
nd plant them in as many rows l,
cross the plot The work can be !,
one with a planter if care is taken n
clean the seed boxes out thorough :,
each time across. The cultivation !,
won IN tho r11of chould no the eamn