The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1912-08-22
NOW HOW ABOUT
THE SEED CORN?
NOW is THE TIME FOR FARMERS
TO BEGIN THINKING OF
THE FUTURE
NOT ONLY THINK, BUT ACT NOW!
Dr.. A. N. Hume, Agronomist Of State
College Issues a Bulletin Upon
Corn to Farmers of State.

State College, has issued the following
bulletin, which is of first importance
to every farmer:
Now Is the time to think about seed
corn. What good will it do to think
about seed corn? 1t will do no good
whatever unless something is done
about it. What then shall be lone
about it?
This press bulletin Is written and
circulated solely for the purpose OF
getting action as widely as possible in
the state of South Dakota in the mat
ter of picking and storing home grown
seed corn enough for the use Of the
entire state.
Right now is about the proper time
to scold ourselves because we did not
save sufficient seed corn II year ago.
We all remember the fact that much
seed corn failed to grow last spring
for the simple reason that it was
frozen last fall before it was ever
taken from the field. What can be
done about that now? Nothing. The
past is gone, but the present is here
and the present is the time to get
ready for seed corn for next spring.
Il is a fact that some fields of corn
were a partial failure, due to other
causes than seed, but it is also a fact
that there is ample corr remaining
from which to select an excellent sup
ply Of good seed for next spring.
Before Sept. 18th, ears matured
at this date will in all probability he
ripe next year at about the same time,
which is likely to be before frost.
1t takes about one bushel of nice
shelled corn to plant six acres. If the
kernels are not large, this may plant
a little more than six acres, but for
the first selection this amount is at
least on the safe side, one bushel of
good corr per six acres of area which
it is expected to plant.
The state should produce its own
seed supply. This is a matter OF state
wide importance and also a matter of
growing importance just like corn
itself.
Everyone who selects and stores
seed corn should select and store a
good deal more than he will need for
actual planting on his own land. Why?
BE ause when spring comes, he will
still have opportunity to select for
himself the very finest ears. Moreover
he will have some good seed corn to
sell at a price which is always certain
to be well above the market.
Moreover, every man who selects
and carefully stores seed corn will
have two neighbors who will be in
need of seed corn next spring. Such
a statement is true in part because
human nature is as it is. 1t is only
good sense and good business for
South Dakota to urge that the proper
ton Of provident farmers who store
seed corn shall be as large as posi-
BILE and that these also forestall the
demand for seed from their neighbors,
which is quite certain to come.
Go into the field September 10th,
with a sack over the shoulder and pick
the best ears from the best stalks.
Place the ears where they will dry
naturally in the shortest time possible.
Except under rare conditions, they
will do better drying without artificial
heat than with it, but they must be
we'll air dried before they are subject
ed to any low temperature.
A most excellent plan for small
grain growers is the old one of tying
the ears in lots by strings and hang
ing them In the summer kitchen where
there Is no steam % perhaps in the
attic above the stove pipe.
The point Is that the ears should be
exposed to a good circulation OF air
and protected from hard freezing.
Think about 1t now. Do 1t September
10th.
Then II 1t seems to you desirable.
just drop a postal card to the Agron-
omy Department Of your Experiment
Station and say on It, I'VE stored
seed corn"