Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1912-02-21

y 4 4 : = : : y = 4 \



u Is near corn planting time. and
the farmers who filled to save their
own seed from last years crop as
most o. them did will soon be inq-
nIring from seed dealers for their
best prices on seed corn. The farmer
will buy. without knowing. I'm most
instances, where the corn grew. or
how much II produced to the acre.
In meany cases the seedman does
not know. He has ben chiefly interes-
sted In buying from the lowest seller
In order that his profits may be the
gretter- The farmer win also have 70
take shell coFn He does not know an
thing about the size or soundness or
the ear, the number to the stalk the
relative yield OF grain. the manner in
which the a depended from the ST.
ak. nor the relative degree 10 which
II was protected by the shuck; exec
pt In so far 10 the seedman may tell
him. or cours he would like To know
some or all or these things when he
goes TO by his seed corn; but IL 10 TO
late now to make amends for not hav-
ing gathered HIS one seed corn from
the field last fall. But TO make up
for his neglected. the more enthus-
iastic farmers viii send off to some
prize winner" Il a corn show or St
ate Fair and pay a very fancy price
for seed that he knows nothing Of,
except that Il won a prize. III the far
mer expects 70 grow show corn,
FOR a like competition this may not
be a bad idea. because prizes that
corn shows" areawarded TO ears tina
nearest approach perfection. accord
ing TO an agreed standard. And the
purer the strain or corn. the more
likely the ears are to be uniform
and the more nearly they will proba-
" mpproch this standard But prize
yes arenot awarded on yield. except
by Col. Exall, threw the Texas lndust
rial Congress. This Ia not all. nor the
chief thing OF interest in connection
with prize corn. IL u frequently less
productive then mixed eorn o. good
Strains.
While II has gainedin conformation
regularity. and beauty IL has lost In
productIveness This Ia a fact thai
you do not hear much about In the
press. Neighbor Farmers but IL IL one
that you might investigate 20 your
nrofit. The first cross OF two pure ST.
aims OF corn willfrequently give a ms
81 satisfactory yield. But this Is no.
the main fact 10 which | w;nted Il
irect attention II this article. rs imp
ortant as this fact Is. In buying seet
corn. remember that there is no 9th
err staple crop so influenced by elm
ate as the corn plant. brought severa
hundred miles South. Il Is dwarfes
by the change. both In stalk and n
ear. II natures earlier. but diminish
es in yield Carried several huntrcG
miles North. Il becomes Tito and inc
reases It's growth or stalk and blade
The proper thing TO do therefore. 4
70 select yopr own seed corn. or. bul
\ from some nelghbor who has a rep
utation as a corn grower. But II yol
are afraid OF a late drouth so comm
on In many parts OF Texas then vol
might buy seed corn produce 100 q
200 miles north OF you. II will b.
from a week 10 ten dtys earlier ther
corn from your. home grown seed
N you 70 much north OF this. you are
libie 10 lose In productiveness for su
CHI seed as much or mor then tn
los from drouth when planting You
own home grown seed. What i said
does not. OF corse apply TO late pla
nting. when some especially drotl
resistant strtins Is wanted and need
ed. such as the Legune or the regu
lar June corn. Therefore IN buyinI
seed corn. III you canot get a prolifil
variety near home after deciding VIII
mt variety you want try 10 find on
where the corn WIS grown: second
how much IL produced 10 the acre
As a rule. the varieties bearing I'VE
or more small ears to the stalk ar
mostprolific in the South. II may b
well 70 say that corn Is not infIuen
ced so much by remowl East or Yves
as Il Is North or South; althou II Il
probable that there are rather wei
defined zones In these directions. bu'
we do o know their limitations.