The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-09-25
CORN AND ITS
 ECONOMICAL IMPORT ANCE

kBy c. P. Hartley PhysIoIosist in
 Charge of Corn Investigations
 United States Department of Agri-
 ca11tuEs.)
 Some idea regarding the economic importance of corn may be had by a realization that in the United States it exceeds in acreage, yield and value. wheat. oats, barley, fax. rye, b1acxwfeat and potatoes contained.
 An increased value of one per cent. psr bzsfaei would mean an additional income to the farmers of the United States of twenty-five million dollars while an Increased production of but one b41sheI per acre at fifty cents per busheI would add fifty million dol lars annually to the national wealth.
 In addition to it's magnitude. the crop is important because of the wide range of industries in which some portion of the corn plant plays more or less important part In fact, 1t may almost be said that there is no industry into which some product or by.product of the corn plant does not enter. Therefore any condi- aions vviaiesh aasct the produuetion of This king of crops are of interest to. every citizen of the United States
 Each spring many farmers discov- er-when it, is too 'iate-tfnat their seed corn either fails to germinate pr produces butsa weak growth. They must either pay high prices. for vii able seed. which may or may not be accfirnatsd and. adapted to their con-, dftionsss or by means of labori usl tests they may pick out such of t1aeiF seed as swiH at least "cone up.''
 The corn crop of 191z is now prae-- fica1fy made and the time for select ang seed for 1913 has arrived in the southern sections and will, reach eE- en the latest sections of the Unified States sometime in October. Uh- Hess sufficient seed corn is selected at Hhe right time in the right way, there rviIl be the same deplorable situation snext spring-again when it. is ftoo= gate-as there has been at each pre- Nious planting stirle.
 With very few exceptions thef best possible seed may be selected oh the farm 6h which it is to be planted,. and by sarry1nE out the following in Etrueffens; issued by the OffIce of Corn sIHVestd gafionss of the United. States Department of Agricslture, zach farmer may provide himself with an abundance of seed of the highest produetivity, for planting in ps1s-
 The process of seed selection is of loo great importance to be conducted lncidentIy while husking. and in many iocaIaities if selection is delayed un- lii husking time, the vitality of the eeed will have already been injured by an. early freeze. As soon, there lore. as the crop ripens. go through he field with bags and huski the ears from those stalks which have produc- ed best without having had any spe- rial advantages, such as space, mofs- lure or fertility. Late maturing plants with ears which are heavy be- rause of an excessive amount of san bnould be ignored.
 In the Central and Southern Etates. other things being equal, short thick stalks are preferable. These permit of thicker planting, are not eo easily blown down, and are usually more productive than slender ones H7Ke tendency to sucker is hereditary Other things being equal seed should be taken from stalks having no suck prs.
 The same day that the seed corn k gathered, the husked ears should be put in a dry place where there is good circulation of air, and placed In such a nanTRr that the ears do not touch each othsAsf Ff no previous arrangements for caring or the seed have been made the ears hsay be sus- pended with binder swine, tying them about two inches apart. The twine will support fifteen sor twenty ears. If this method cannot conveniently he followed, tables may be imprevfs- ed by placing boafds across boxes or barrels. These boards should be dEy md not too wide, and should bA
 A-