Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1912-04-18
IBy John Convict

condition in regard to seed corn that
will involve loss OF millions of dol
lars, that under no circumstances
can now be avoided. altho by care
full and rainstakins selection and
thorough testing, the loss will be
much less than it would be if testing
is omitted, even when termination re-
suits.
But no amount Of testing, even when
termination results, will secure from
corn improperly cared for, quality
of seed equal to corn that was saved
in a proper manner. for 1t WILL even
when 1t terminates be weak and slow
growing. lacking in vitality and even
with the most favorable conditions.
viii not produce a full crop.
And all this trouble, vexation and
ioss could have been avoided. special
trains ON our railways to warn the
farmers would have been unnecessary,
seed corn testers would never have
been heard OF, If farmers would adopt
the only sure method of saving their
seed corn to insure perfect germin-
alton
In writing THIS article have con-
suited no one, and at my own ex-
pense am to furnish copy to every
Newspaper and agricultural journal
in Iowa. In the hope that with the CO.
operation Of the press, that most
powerful agent in the dissemination
Of knowledge. will reach every farm
er in tho state, and If my method Of
saving seed corn Is universally adopt
ed, never again Will q single dollar
be lost or any worry given, on account
OF poor SEED corn in Iowa.
knowledge From Practical Experience.
In an experience Of over fifty years
saving seed corn in Iowa, I had but
one failure and then it was my own
fault In trying to save my seed corn
without artificial heat.
That lesson cost me $4,000, and
ever since my seed corn has, when
gathered, been placed at once in a
chamber over the dining room where
1t is fro dried. a register over the
heating stove in the dining room
supplying the heat.
For more than half century. with
tho single exception Of the one year
noted in the foregoing. I do not be-
lieve ever planted a kernel Of seed
corn Of my own saving that did not
grow, and Of strong vitality. But
with the one exception, the corn for
seed was always kept in the dwelling
house and fire dried, and 100 per
cent terminated. regardless Of weather
conditions in the corn planting sea-
son.
Seed Corn At State Institutions.
On assuming the position OF mem :
Der Of the board Of control Of state
institutions. soon learned that seri-
Gus losses on our state farms had
been experienced on account Of poor
seed corn. and having mastered that
subject myself, determined that
there would be no further losses to
the state on account Of poor seed
corn.
With the aid Of the CHIEF executive
officers a room with fire heat was
assigned for the seed corn at each
institution. and a circular letter each
fall was sent to all superintendents
giving full instructions for gathering
and saving seed corn before cold
weather.
The rooms selected for saving the
seed corn were in the base1n ents Of
!. the main building. with steam heat
or in attics. or work shops, all with
fire heat, and my instructions were
that the corn must be taken directly
from the field and before cold weather,
artificial heat.
Now, note the result. not single
hill of corn at our state institutions.
with an aggregate of about 1000
acres of land, was, during the twelve
years I was a member OF the board
of control, replanted on occount OF
poor seed corn, and on tests that
made every spring in the state house
in cigar boxes filled with earth. prac-
ticaIy 100 per cent Of samples of the
corn from all the institutions ger
minated. with a strong. vigorous. uni
form growth. as shown by photographs
taken OF the growing corn when four
or five inches high.
And it must &c borne in mind. that
the greater part Of this seed corn was
saved by insane men, and feeble
minded boys, and thru neglect to
gather early and fire dry their seed
corn, the farmers of Iowa in posses
sion Of all their faculties. lost in the
same time over one hundred millions
of dollars, by following improper
methods in saving their seed corn.
Professor HoIden's Methods.
have before me as l write bulle-
tin published by our state agricultural
college on Selecting and Preparing
Seed Corn the author being given as
, P. C. Holden, professor OF agronomy.
From this bulletin I will make but
q few brief extracts. being careful not
to distort or convey a wrong impress
sion from what was intended, but at
the same time to prove beyond all
question in the mind of every unpreju-
diced person, who is seeking for the
truth, that the methods advocated by
Professor Holden in saving seed corn
are largely responsible for the present
condition.
1 quote from page II, I'm case corn
rack is not used it is good practice to
hang up the corn intended for seed, or
to place it upon some boards over the
corn in the crib where there will be a
free circulation Of air until such time
as there is danger from severe freez-
ing"
That il just what many farmers did
in the autumn Of 1909, seed corn was
hung on wires, on fences, in the drive
/. ways Of double corn cribs, and on
y boards where there was free circula-
ton Of air, as advised by Professor
Holden.
With maximum temperature from
the 1st to the 9Th Of October, 1909, OF
from 20 to So degrees in Iowa, the
temperature on the night Of the 18th