The enterprise. [volume] (Harlem, Mont.) 1899-1926, 1912-05-30
SEED CORN THIS SEASON OF LOW
CERMINATION--A FEW POINTERS
By PROF. SHAW

BY PROF. SHAW
As is generally known, there is at
the present time what may be termed
a famine for seed corn. This is the
outcome of wet weather in the au-
tumn of 1911 in conjunction with
freezing weather that came unusually
early and before the corn intended
for seed was dry. In consequence
more than fifty per cent. of all the
seed corn grown in all the northern
states from Lake Michigan is quite
low in terminating power, in fact so
low that but little of it will sprout if
planted. Of the other fifty per cent,
much of it is quite low in germina-
tion. More than half of it will not
show a. termination of more than fifty
per cent. The available seed corn,
therefore, for 1912, of high quality, is
probably not more than twenty-five
per cent. of the needs of the growers.
Go Slow IN PLANTING Poor SEED
Many authorities are urging far
mers to sow seed that will not show a
termination of more than fifty per
cent. They are told to make up for
the deficiency in terminating power
by increasing the quantity of the
seed. For instance, if the germina-
tion is only seventy-five per cent. to
add one-fourth to the usual amount
Of seed used in planting, and if it is
but fifty per cent. to double the a.
mount of seed used. This advice
does not take into account the fnct
that much Of the seed that does ger
inmate will produce weak plants that
will never make a satisfactory growth.
Nor does it consider the further fact,
that should the weather conditions
be adverse subsequently to the plant
ing season, the kernels that will only
give weak termination, will perish
outright, whereas those of strong
termination would not be injured.
If the choice, therefore, is between
using poor seed and not planting at
all. my judgment would be not to
plant. The prices of seed are now
five times the usual price and even
many large seed houses have ceased
to furnish it at any price.
How Poor SEED SHOULD BE PLANTED
If the farmer decides to run the
risk of planting seed quite low in
termination, the hazard will he less
by growing the corn in hills for
fodder than by planting it in hills for
the grain. The stalks from seed of
weak termination will have food
value in the fodder, whereas these
stalks grown in hills would produce
no ears at all or only nubbins at the
best. 1t is regrettable that the area
for corn should have to he restricted,
but the stern fact is before us, that
enough good seed cannot be obtained
to supply the need. Would il not be
better therefore, in all the dry country
to summer fallow land that was in-
tended for corn rather than to plant
corn on it that has termination as
low or lower than fifty per cent?
Poor seed of any kind usually gives a
crop that is unsatisfactory, but OF
all poor seed that can be used, that
of corn is about the most unsatis.
factory.
The DWARF VARIETIES
The effort now when growing corr
in the Northwest, is all or nearly al
in the direction Of securing stalk o,
fair height, and that will produce al
ear that is high enough up on thu
stalk to admit of harvesting it will
the corn harvest. This effort is al
right as far as corn for fodder or fol
the silo may be sought, but in all the
Northwest it would be a mistake il
judgment and practice, as this ques
tion appears to me, to lose sight o1