Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-05-03
HEART TO HEART
TALK BY EDITOR
ON SEED CORN
James Atkinson, Editor Of Home
stead, Tells Of Personal Expe-
rience on His Farm where
Testing Paid.

Mr.. James Atkinson, editor OF the
Iowa Homestead. who for many years
has been a practical raiser of corn
on farm near Des Moines, has raised
his voice in a last warning to Iowa
farmers of the necessity of testing
their seed this spring. Mr.. Atkinson
says:
In spite Of the fact that a great
deal Of advice has been given to far
mers during the last three months
on the Importance of testing seed
corn. it is not yet time to say the
last word on the subject. Every corn
grower in Iowa who has not tested
his seed should take the time to do
It now. He can afford to let his
teams stand idle while he selects his
seed and puts 1t in the tester.
The serious part of the matter Is
that many persons believe that they
can tell from physical examination
whether corn will grow or not, and I
predict that there will be Thousands
of farmers find out to their sorrow
this year that the thing cannot pos
sibly be done. Now 1 will tell you
why l know this to be fact. Dur.
ing the last two months / have test
ed something like 2,000 ears of corn.
The corn was picked before the per-
iod of frost and most &. 1t is In splen-
did shape, but q certain percentage
Of 1t was absolutely dead, though
the ears from which the nonvital ker-
nels we're taken were just as fine
looking as the others. I placed some
OF this nonvital corn where it could
be inspected and commented on and
every farmer who looked at it pro-
nounced it first class. In most cases
they claimed that if they had corn
like that they wouldn't so to the trou-
BILE of testing and yet at the time
they were examining seed that had
no more prospect Of growing than
If it had previously been ground into
hour.
Corn Is Deeefving.
Another experiences along this line
shows even more forecetul way
Just how badly one may be deceived
by the appearance Of corn. About
ten days ago selected 400 ears from
we'll ripened corn taken from the
crib. It was sound and presented q
nice bright color while the germs
were clear and healthy looking. was
assisted in picking out the 400 ears
by two very good farmers and time
and again they commented on the fact
that 1t was not necessary to test this
corn, as it was absolutely good"
Kernels were taken from each ear
and everything had to pass severe
examination before it got into the
400" That batch Of corn was ready
for examination yesterday and there
were just twelve good ears in the
400. Ninety per cent of it showed
no signs Of life whatever, while
small percentage gave evidence Of
having very feeble kind of vitality.
do not have to depend
upon that kind of corn for seed but
what. about those individuals who
hold the opinion that they can tell
whether corn Is vital or not, and be-
cause of this, refuse to test their
corn? They will be disappointed with
their stand beyond all power OF de-
scription and the individual losses ad-
ded together will mean an enormous
state loss.
I have simply given you the result
of my own experience in the hope
that some will take the matter to
heart and take the time to test their
corn even yet.