Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-11-15
SELECTING SEED CORN
FOR SHOW PURPOSES


rightful place in the affections OF the
people OF the state. This is a most de-
sirable end, and we offer our hearty con-
gratulat.ons 10 every community which
has held a fair during the fall BY all
means encourage the. work II Is one
OF the best ways of keeping the com
munity posted as TO the progress being
made BY its individual members and OF
stimulating effort because of the rivalry
engendered and the success achieved in
crop production by farmers in various
parts OF the county. Probably more in
terast has been evidenced In corn Gull
tivation and in securing increased yielos
Of this important cereal than ever before,
and the success attained by thousands
of farmers has been most encouraging
and promises well for the future Of the
state. THERE'S much 10 be learned yet,
however. and a few suggestions as 10 the
methods OF selecting corn FOR show pur-
poses may not be out OF place at this
time when the subject is fresh in the
minds Of all exhibitors.
1t is noticeable that most OF the corn
exhibited had no name. In other words,
Il was not produced from the planting or
selection OF a variety Of unusual merit
I'm a given community or in the state
or country at large. While it has been
clearly demonstrated that a local va
riety is more likely to give good results
than one brought from a long distance,
n is better always TO choose a standard
sort than to use seed secured from an
Indefinite number OF sources. The largest
Yields Of corn will never be secured In
any given community until some Well
established and carefully selected va
riery Is available for planting. not only
on the special seed patches where an at
tempt is made 10 secure large yields. but
on the farms as we'll The foundation
of many desirable varieties OF corn for
cultivation in various sections OF the
state has already been laid. and there will
be no difficulty in securing good seed
provided the leaders in the various com
munities viii take these best types OF
corn and select them with some definite
ness OF purpose in view. Good seed Is
essential to success and has more I'M
uo-eant bearing on yield than most per-
sons realize. II is for this reason that
special emphasis is laid on this important
matter.
The next thing to consider in prepar-
ing an exhibit Of corn is the character
OF ear TO select, and at this Juncture
IL Is proper to say that prizes should be
o9erad AZ all shows for at least two. II
not three distinct types OF corn One OF
these should be the prolific type grown
chiefly on IIr1ands. Another should De
for a medium to large cared type grown
on upIands and a third should De TOT
corn produced on river bottoms Person
aIly. the writer believes the prOllfic corn
the most desirable OF any TO grow IN
the state Of Georgia as a whole Inc
medium to large cared varieties can not
ne grown on upIands and the same yields
secured as where the prolific varieties are
cultivated This statement is based on
many years OF experiences IN growing va
rfetfes OF corn under the same conol>
tions on upland soils. Naturally, rich
river bottoms will produce larger eareu
varfty than can be grown even on wen
fortified and prepared uplands- II IS nm
nossfbIe TO Judge fairly a prolific corn
rroxn on upIands in comparison with
iaree cared sort grown on rich bottoms.
To this end prizes should be offered Tor
Al least two types Of corn
In exhibiting corn the farmer should
he required to show at least nVe 10 ten
stalks Of the prolific type with corn
In the husk, showing the number OF ears
produced per stalk. the character Oh tne
foliage. and the amount OF husk on the
ear. There should be an exhibit OF ten
ears Of corn selected not for size alone,
br- representing the true character OF
the prolifc types OF corn. Inese ears
should be as nearly Uniform as possible.
The cobs should all be OF one color
white being preferable 20 anything else
The ears En0ulu DC "a 1AAAAo- "a - 49,
end 10 end. though OF course there may
he a slight taperiug toward the tip enc
The tin should be perfectly filled, ana
anv ear injured by the bud worm should
NOT he exhibited The butts should De
completely covered right down to the
shank by which II is attached to the
staIk- The rows Of grain should run
straight from butt to tip. and the grain
should be OF uniform depth and rather
dinty in character, as hinty corn Is
better able to resist damage by the weev-
than the softer types. The grain
should be firmly attached to the cob and
OF uniform shape They should be square
on top. slightly dented. and closely set
together on the cob. They should carry
their shape well down to the attachment
TO the cob and should not be V-shaped.
The germ should be well developed in
each grain. This is an evidence that the
seed is in vigorous condition and may
be depended on to terminate well when
planted There should be an absence
Of chahiness on the exposed part Of
re grain, and Il should not be too short
in proportion TO its width. for the longer
and narrower the grain, other things be-
ing equal. the larger per cent IL will
shell per cob and per plant.
In selecting corn from bottom lands
the same matters should receive atten-
tion. except that the ears should not
be chosen for bigness. II is a mistake
10 pick out only the largest ears. They
can not be produced except under extra
ordinarily favorable conditions, and be-
sides that. il has been shown over and
over again that larger yields will be Sc