The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1912-01-25
SEED CORN
IN MIDDLE WEST
Tests Show Low Vitality In Seed
Corn

states Is reported by experts who
are making tests. These reports
are important in showing the condi-
ton of corn, also in giving some
very reliable information about the
widespread crop conditions Of 1911.
The corn growers in the entire
corn belt are facing a serious seed
corn situation. according to the
many reports that come from Hi
nois, Iowa, Missouri, South Dako-
ia and Nebraska.
Every corn grower should test his
seed corr at once, even though he
saved it before husKing time, for
unless it was in a warm place when
the freeze came the first of Novem-
Der, it is undoubtedly damaged.
We print a few reports which
show the gravity of the situation.
Breeders Gazette, Nov. 20. 1911:
Recent severe freezes. following
autumnal rains that water-logged
many regions of the corn belt, have
seriously damaged, if they have not
DESTROYED, thousands of bushels of
corn which otherwise would have
been used as seed. A situation SO
widespread and calamitious as this
has not been visited on this country
for many years. reports that reach
us from various sections indicate
that seed corn of unaffected vitality
will be high in price and uncommon
ly scarce next spring. We draw
carly attention to it in this vein of
justified gravity in order that our
readers NAV be forewarned. Where
fore. those who are wise will make
haste to supply their needs. if ger.
minating tests, which should be
made without delay. show that their
own crop is unfit for planting.
so long as corn is dry it can en-.
dure without injury to germ any
degree Of cold t. which the belt is
accustomed but when freezing
comes over night where thousands
of acres of standing corn lie sub.
merged or soaked, wholesale de.
struction of the germ is inevitable.
This is what has occurred in some
of the leading corn-growing centers
in the middle west"
Nebraska Farmer. Dec. 8, 1911
AT the Chadron short course some
corn was brought IN out of the
fields, just the ordinary run without
selection. and tested by the instruc.
tors. The results were far from
encouraging. The instructors es.
innate that only from 40 to 60 pei
cent of the ri picked out for seed
in the vicinity of Chadron will ger.
inmate.
AT the Farnum short course, helo
the week after the at Chadron,
other corn tests were made and the
condition revealed here was even
worse than at Chadron. Only about
10 to 20 per cent of the corn that
had been picked out by farmers for
seed would grow. The corn around
Farnum was very soft and imma.
ture, due to the dry weather early
in the season and the rain which
came later and prompted late
growth.
AT Central City, Professor Kis-
setback, who judged the corn show.
reports that not more than 20 per
cent of the corn broght in by the
farmers. and shown as the best seed
they had. would terminate. A
great deal of this corn was brought
in by men experienced in selecting
seed corn, so that it is probable that
the average farmer in that COM
munitv will find his corn will test
considerable less than 70 per cent
germinable. The complaint here.
as at other points mentioned. was
that the corn was soft and mma-
ture."
C. B. Hutchinson, Columbia, Mo-,
Secretary and treasurer of Missouri
State Corn Growers Association:
The vitality Of seed corn will un-
doubtedly be low. We had a very
severe drouth through the state this
season and late rains came in the
fall. which prevented the corn from
ripening up properly, and the early
and severe freezes got the corn be-
fore it was thoroughly dried out,
SO that a great deal has been injured
for seed purpose"
Wertz Bird & Seed Co., Sioux
City. Iowa: Only about 20 per
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