Daily Kennebec journal., 1910-04-16
STATE HOUSE.
Flint Corn Distributed for
Experimental Purposes.
Agricultural Department Assist
ingi Seed Improvement Work.
Valuation Returns Coming From
Local Boards Of Assessors.
STATE HOUSE CALENDAR.
Next Meeting Of Governor and Council
Friday, April 29, at 10 A. M.


maturing in the locality where the ex-
perimcnts are to be made. and the lots
are accompanied by the following cir
cular giving detailed plan for seed
breeding work:
Purpose. The primary purpose Of
the work is to breed strains of flint
corn that shall be both early and high
yielding.
Plan of Work for 1910. In carrying
on the work for 1910 the following
rules should be observed:
Seed. The department of agricul-
ture Will. through the association,
furnish to each member 10 ears of
Maine grown flint corn for conducting
an experimental plot during the pres
ent year. If, however, any member
already has superior variety of flint
corn, then he should carefully select
from his bulk seed 10 ears of such
size, shape and characteristics as shall
most nearly resemble the type he has
in mind.
Planting. The plan to be followed
in planting is what is known as the
ear-to- the-row method, each ear be-
ing planted in a separate row. The
rows should be three feet apart and
the hills three feet apart in the row.
Only about half of the ear, rejecting
both tip and butt kernels, need be
planted, 40 hills in each row being
sufficient for the test, thus obviatnG
the necessity for long rows. The
testing plot for carrying on this ex-
pertinent Will therefore need to be
large enough for 10 rows with 40 hills
to the row. The corn should be plant
ed kernels to the hill. and when the
plants are we'll above the ground thin
t. three to each hill. The number of
stalks pulled from each row should be
recorded on the blank provided for
that purpose. and the total number of
stalks in each row should be counted
after the surplus stalks have teen
pulled. aud d record made Of same. as
this will show the field termination
test of the seed.
| Harvesting When the corn is har-
vested, each row should be kept by it
self, carefully weighed on the cob and
| tagged for Identification.
Selection Of Seed. In selecting the
| row which shall be used for seed pur-
poses in 1911, the following factors
| should be taken into consideration
and in the order in which they are
mcntioncd
1St. EarlincsS.
I'd Yield Of seed ears
3. General conformation of ears.
| While earlincSS Is of fundamental
Importance, and it is quite likely that
there will be some different in earli-
| ness between the different rows, yet
the selection should be made only
from the highest yielding rows which
are capable of maturing in the aver
age season OF the locality. 1t is felt
that the selection for yield should be
made on the basis of the krgest
amount of corn tit for seed purposes,
| 1t being desirable to eliminate in SO
| FAR as possible ill shaped and poorly
m3tured corn. After the row from
which the seed is to be taken the fol-
lowing year has been selected, the
corn should be carefully cured and
stored. In selecting from the best
row the seed for the experimental plot
| for 1911, il would be best to select
twenty to twenty-five of the best cars
as to shape, size, tips. butts. etc, and
apply to each ear the termination test,
and then from the ears tested select
the ten cars having The highest test
The balance Of the corn raised from
the best row should be used as seed
! for the main crop for 1911
General. A report blank for corn
will be furnished each member of the
association. 1t should be carefully
read and its requirements understood.
! At the close Of the season after the
corn is harvested this report should be
filled out and forwarded to Leon S.
Merrill. Secretary. Augusta, Maine.
The experimental plot should be
planted if possible at least 40 rods dis
tant from any other corn. and would
advise that it be located near the road
so that it may attract attention to the
work being carried OIL by the associa-
ton. If comparisons are to be made
between the results obtained on this
experimental plot and your main crop,
then the preparation of the soil, culti-
vation and fertilization should be the
same, as it is not desirable that the
lots of corn sent out for experimental
purposes should be grown under abb
normal conditions.
When members of the association
are obliged to purchase corn for seed
purposes they should insist that it be
delivered to them on the car, and
wien any is SOiQ Dy tueil IL SnOulQ al
ways be delivered to their customers
on the ear.
The circular is also accompanied by
record blank which in addition to
blanks for the name and residence OF
the cxperlmentor, contains the follow
ing questions.
! Seed-Variety and name of corn.
where and from whom seed was Sc
cured. result of termination test of
each of ten ears. was seed grown
from selected seed?
Soil-Nature of soil. what crops
were raised on it in 1909, 1907 and
1908, brand, amount and formula of
fertilizer used on each of the three
years mentioned.
Preparation Of soil-Spring or fall
plowed. depth piowed, narrowed how
many times, amount and kind of ma
nure applied, when, amount and
brand of fertilizer applied, when.
formula used, per cent. of ammonia.
per, cent. of phosphoric acid, per cent
of potash.