Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-06-07
TESTERS AND SUPPOSEDLY POOR
SEED SOMETIMES PLAY uN-
EXPECTED TRICKS.
MUCH YET TO BE LEARNED
CONCERNING PLANT GROWTH
Crop Growing From Corn Left in Field
as spoiIed-Harness Oil spoiIs 500
Bushels of Corn Saved For Seed -
Deep Planting Observation-Disclosures
Rural Observations.
Special to Times-Republican.

Special to Republican.
Albion, June Last fall when it be-
came apparent that there would be a
scarcity of seed corn when the next
planting time should come one man IN
northern Iowa having access to sup
ply that he had every reason to believe
would grow, selected with great. care
some 500 bushels of the finest he could
secure and stored it in the latest ap-
proved fashion in building specially
adapted to such purpose. Then along
toward spring, having occasion to over
haul, and oil his harness he performed
this work in the building which SEEM
ed to be as we'll adapted to washing
harness as to the storing OF seed corn.
The use of warm water in the work on
the harness dampened the air in the
room where the corn had been placed
and some tests, made little later
showed that the seed corn had been
entirely ruined so far as seed value was
concerned, because of the vapor that
had been allowed to accumulate at the
time the work on the harness was done.
Another farmer near this place was
unable to gather the corn in one of his
fields before the early winter snow
came and covered it up until spring.
Much of it had been blown down by
the wind and more was pulled to the
ground by the pressure Of the snow and
ice. AS soon as the corn could be
gathered in the spring it was taken
from the field but a considerable por-
AZ Lea
was thought to be unfit for use and
would spoil the better corn If put into
the crib. In due time the field was
farmer went out to look over the pros
poets in that part of the farm he found
not only a good stand of oats but in
Vulnerable stalks of young corn strug-
Cling for a share of air and sunshine.
One conclusion to be obtained from
these two incidents is that there is
some UNEMPLOYED ground in the realms
of seed corn saving, something that
needs as much investigation perhaps as
selection in the fall and testing in the
spring.
Another man, very careful and
successful farmer too, tells how he
paid $50 for a seed corn tester Of the
most up-to-date kind and used it to
test his seed About so per cent was
the best he could make it do. Later on
being compelled to use some of this
seed because he could obtain nothing
that promised better results he was
surprised to find that nearly so per
cent grew. This was told, to man
who Is sure that the modern seed corn
tester Is infallfble, who disposed OF
the matter by two word exclamation
l-"Careless test"
One OF the reasons why there is only
an estimated IS per cent stand of corn
in this locality, one of the very best
in this part of the state, is that so
| many planted their corn deep so as to
get it down into moist ground One
man said II knew better than to do
| that but when it Games to planting in
dry dirt with no prospects of rain
couldn't do it. Planted deep and then
| it did rain, remained cool afterward
| and my seed rotted. No more deep
planting for me-" Many have for three
| different times this spring and the
discouraging feature of this is that
each successive planting is done with
poorer seed than the former because
| nothing better could be obtained.
Something entirely new in the corn
| crib line is to be found on Sanford
| Collins farm north of Albion. 1t is
built in the form of Greek cross the
shape being selected for convenience
in elevating. The four wings are ex-
actly alike, each having a chip roof
and fourteen foot studding There are
| two driveways thru the building ex-
tending of course, at right angles with
each other. In the center is big
cupola in which is placed the elevator
and lengthwise turnout the cemented
floor Of each crib is gutter open at
the outside and covered with small
pieces of board inside. These serve a
double purpose: They take care of the
ventilating problem and when Smelling
is to be done a drag can be inserted
and the cover pieces removed as nee
essary The drag being in the middle
Of the crib hardly any shoveling is
necessary. The capacity of the struc-
| ture is $4,000 bushels Of ear corn and
| it can be built at a cost of about
$500.
Another recently erected farm build.
ing in this locality is the j. L. Ulery
barn. which while not one of the larg.
est is one Of the neatest and most sub
stantial in this county. Mr.. UlerJ
| lights his house with an acetylent
lighting plant and will lay pipe t.
his barn and do away with one more
old fashioned farm custom, that of car
rying a lantern about while doing
early chores in corn picking season.
c. F. WILSON.