New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-12-04
Millions for Cent
Campbell Got Seed Testing Bug"
and Farmers Profit.

VIII A. Campbell. Of the Omaha Cou,r.-
ciaI Club. last winter invested one cent 4,
a newspaper. AS the direct result OF The
Investment the farmers of Nebraska a..
,ust now harvesting ten million bushels a,
corn. worth about A.5oo.0c0.
The item which caught CampbeIYs sx.
and which resulted I'm the tremendous hen..
fit TO Nebraska farmers was short art;c,.
telling of the tests of seed corn which ver.
being made in Iowa He was struck with
the idea and the next day when he read
in an Omaha newspaper that the corn
which Nebraska farmers had gathered for
seed was bad he remembered the item
about the manner in which the Iowa farm
ers were testing the corn which they in
tended planting at the proper time.
III that's good for Iowa why is il not
good for Nebraska?" asked Campbell cr
himself
That very day Campbell took the mat
ter I'D with the Commercial Club and ob-
tanned an appropriation of $1,000 with which
to carry on the work Of instructing tia
farmers in the importance of testing their
seed corn
The first step was TO discover IL the seed
was really bad. and to this end five thou
sand samples from as many different Sec
lions of the state were procured tx
perts were employed to test these samples,
and the result showed the seed TO be far
worse than had been anticipated In q
large number Of tests only 81 per cent Of
the highes. grade was found, and from the
same samples q per cent were Of the low
est In other words. OF the corn received
only % ears out of 1GO furnished the best
seed.
-
was in danger of being cut almost in half
by reason Of the use OF seed with poor
terminating qualities
AS soon as the extent OF the danger vas
determined the campaign TO avert the
threatened peril was begun
As the first move along this line Camp
bell printed 100000 copies Of a 1eafIet tell
ing in short, terse sentences the danger and
the remedy. Farmers were told just how
to test their seed and just why il was
necessary TO test each Individual ear Of
corn that was to be used for planting pur-
poses These 100. OC0 circulars were sent to
leading farmers in different parts of the
state.
Personal letters, with the results of tho
tests. were sent to every country news
paper in the state, with the request that
the article be reproduced on the front page
of each. The following week the state was
simply pIastered from end to end with the
bulletin
The assistance of the grain buyers was
obtained, and in addition to posting con-
spicuous notices in their grain elevators
the buyers talked personally with every
farmer who brought grain to the markets.
The creameries joined In the movement
and every farmer who sold cream was So
iicited to test your seed corn before
planting
To proprietors Of every country store. az
we'll Of every implement house in the
state. personal letters were sent. and they
were asked TO give their assistance TO the
movement and to talk personally on the
subject with their customers.
Bankers livestock dealers and buyers and
school teachers Joined in the movement. and
soon the usual mode of salutation in the
farming district was: "Good-morning- Have
you tested your seed CORN
In time the farmers became so impressed
with the idea that practically al the seed
planted last spring was thoroughly tested
before it was put in the ground
The result is apparent and the CAM
paign for seed test is indicated. Instead
of a shortage of 100000 bushels or more
the Nebraska COlIl CIOp - Ic,cvVSc OuSiiOA-
greater than last years crop. Experts say
this is directly due to the testing Of the
seed
And the end is not yet The Nebraska
farmers. having seen the advantage OF
using good seed. will hereafter test every
ear o. corn before planting single one
of its kernels
From the investment of Will Campbells
penny the state has already reaped rewards
aggregating 400. 600, with the promise that
next years profits will be far greater than
III, nf