Middletown transcript., 1910-04-09
PRIZES FOR CORN YIELDS
Delaware Soil Should Produce
More per Acre

: More per Acre
The State Board of Agriculture is de
termined to raise Delaware to the tor
notch in the list Of corn growing States,
IL produces three million dollars worth Of
corn per year, on about 2OO, 900 acres. I.
can and should and will produce twice as
much on the same amount Of land, twelve
million bushels, or sixty bushels per acre.
1t can be done easily. The yield in
New England is over 40 bushels per
acre, in Delaware 80, in Georgia I2.
Methods of Culture tell the story. We
need more corn and less fodder;s more
uniform and perfect stand; no barren
stalks and no nubbine. Then with
humus in the soil a sixsy busheI crop is
easy. The Board offers $50 for the big.
gest yield in Delaware on one acre, with
$50 to the second and $40 to the third.
1t also will give the usual small premiums
amounting to about $120 dollars for ex.
hiblts for select corn in the various classes,
to be awarded at the Delaware corn show.
1t will also give 500 to be awarded to
Delaware growers at the New England
corn show, and will make big exhibit
at the National corn show in Columbus.
Ohio, January SOth to February .llth,
where big premiums will be given to
Delaware farmers.
The Delaware show will be at Dover
the first week in December and special
prizes will be given in addition to those
named above. Dover merchants will be
asked to give prizes, The D. B. Martin
Company will give ton of phosphate;
and Secretary Jenkins will give another
ton. Manufacturers of fertilizers, farm
implements and other lines of goods
will be invited to contribute. One firm
offered $1,000 in two prizes to be given to-
New England farmers,rand there is no
reason to suppose that We cannot have
big prizes offered here.
To get go bushels of shelIed corn per
acre. Better corn, better culture; these
will do the trick. We have many grow.
ers now who get more than 60 bushels
per acre. Hills feet 6 inches each way,
two stalks to the hill, one ear weighing
pound to the stalk, and you have 3555
hills and 7110 pounds Of corn, easily 100
bushels of shelled corn per acre. In
order to get this condition the ground
must be good. Any well drained soil in
Delaware is good enough to produce 100
bushels Of shelIed corn per acre, if it is
filled with vegetable matter by growing
crimson clover, COW peas or any other
crop. The crimson clover will grow in
fall and winter and can be cut for hay in
May two tons OF hay per acre. The clover
should have 300 to 400 pounds of kainit
or 100 pounds of muriate OF potash, and
300 to 400 pounds of dissolved phosphate
rock per acre every year. The corn will
require no other manure. This chemical
manure will cost not more than So per
acre.
Select the best seed. Twelve ears will
plant an acre. Test every ear. Number
the ear, take from it Eix kernels from
different parts of tie ear, place these six
kernels on cloth in box. Take as many
ears as are needed for the whole planting,
make as many squares on the cloth as
you have ears of corn, place the kernels
from each ear on square and number
the square, put another cloth on top Of
Ibis and cover with saw dust or dirt and
noisten the whole, keep in a warm place.
If any of the kernels fell to germinRte,
throw that ear out. If some kernels
terminate but make weak, poor growth,
throw those ears out
Breed for better yields. Select forty
'ars, number them, plant one row with
eed from each ear. Plant on good land.
Watch them grow. Select seed from the
ows that give the most corn and have
he best stalks. Breed the ears up to
bigger ears. Breed the stalks down to
mailer size. New England corn grows
il feet high, and yields over forty bush.
ls. Delaware corn grows ten feet high
nd yields 80 bushels. Georgia corn
rows twelve feet high and yields twelve
,ushels. Get the best seed you can find
u your own neighborhood for the main
rop. II you want to experiment, send
way for little seed, and grow it until
ou have it acclimated to Delaware.
Delaware farmers who compete for the
rizes for the largest yields will register
nth the State Board, who will appoint
ommittee to measure the ground and
Teigh the corn. Each competitor will be
equired to give the previous history of
be ground upon which the corn is grown,
be treatment, methods of culture, kind
corn planted and other useful facts in
with the production of the
rop.