Morris tribune., 1911-10-06
Methods OF StOr=
ing Seed Corn.
BY Leon Robbins, Minnesota
Agricultural College.

4" i" "' Il + 4 y + t" !" i" * + i" =
For commercial purposes, seed corn
is usually stored in one of three ways:
On the floor, in large drying rooms; in
Slated crates, piled on top of one an.
:. other; or in narrow cribs, built in
drying rooms. The idea is to secure,
as nearly as possible. the proper con-
ditions, and still dry large amounts OF
seed corn When stored in any of the
above ways one condition for drying
is often entirely lacking, namely, a
free circulation of air. This explains
why seed corn from seedsmen may
sometimes be low in germination
Many devices, easily and cheaply
built, are now in use whereby circula
tion Of air can be secured around each
ear of corn. Four very desirable meth
DDS of storing seed corn on the farm
are here suggested. A frame of 2x4's
may be built, about four feet square.
Braces should be nailed on each end,
to make the frame stand upright. Aft.
?er this has been done, stretch chicken
wire over both sides, mailing it secure,
z$Iy; using care to make the meshes on
both sides to correspond. In each
mesh can be placed an ear, no two
tears touching In case chicken-net-
ting is not available, nail boards over
the frame. drive ten-penny finishing
mails through the boards from each
side, and jab the ears on the nails,
butts first The nails should slant up
slightly so the ears will not fall off.
or more ears from the ceiling, or from
a wire strung across a room leach
looped about the middle with a double
strand of binding tWine. Get double
string about six feet in length. Hold
one end in each hand, the right end
being little longer Pass the string
around the first ear about an equal
distance from the butt and tip,
weave the right hand over the left
and the left hand between the strings
held in the right. Reverse the sec.
ond ear, butt and tip, and place be-
tween the strings. Continue weaving
In the ears, holding the string tight
until the string is filled. To fasten,
pass the right string through the left;
hang the ears up, and their weight
will hold them in place.
A very satisfactory method, now in
use by the Minnesota Experiment Sta
tion, is the corn tree" This tree is
quickly and economically made by u.s.
ing AKA post, six feet long, nailed tc
q base 2x18x18 inches. Drive a row OF
ten-penny nails about three inches
apart on each side of the AKA The
nails should slant slightly toward the
top Of the tree to prevent the ear from
failing off. When the tree is made, it
may be set up in any place where good
drying conditions can be secured, and
the seed ears jabbed onto the nails.
The capacity of the tree may be
doubled by planning off the corners of
the AKA, and thus making it eight
sided, and driving nails in the planed-
off surfaces. The corn-tree has some
great advantages, in. that it requires
but little space in room, is easily
moved from place to place, and is
practically inaccessible to mice
Other- methods, often used, are
braiding the husks of ears together, or
laying seed ears on racks built by
stretching wire about four inches
apart on both sides of a frame some
thing like the one described for poul-
try netting. The disadvantage of these
methods is that the ears touch and do
not allow for air circulation about
each ear.