The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1912-10-08
GLANCE AHEAD AT
! NEXT. +. CORN CROP
Professor Finley Has Susges-
i, tons On Selection And
Care of Seed

81 Vollmar Finley, professor of agri-
culture at the high school gave out
the following statement last week,
on seed corn selection: acme
Now is the time to think about
seed corn. What good will it do to
think about seed corn? None what
ever unless we DO something about
bit. What shall we do? fl af
s"The selection and storing Of seed
corn is an especially important fac
tor, in corn raising in Minnesota be-
cause of iour climatic conditions,
which usually hinder fthe maturity
of the late varieties. n0a Ne ua
III Right now is TIE proper time to
|scold ourselves because we did net
save sufficient seed corn a year ago,
for we remember much seed corn
failed to grow last spring for the
simple reason that it was frozen last
fall, before it was taken from the
field. The past is gone, but the pre-
sent is here and the present is the
time to prepare for seed corn for
next spring.
How much. shall we select?
Few fafmere save enough seed
corn. AbusheI of nice shelled seed
corn viii plant from 6 to 8 acres.
Zone hundred to 100 selected ears
will make a bushel of shelled corn.
However, it should be remembered
that everyone who selects seed corn
should select and store a great deal
more than he will need for actual
EpIanting, becausesthe first selection
| is not always perfect, and when
spring comes he will Still have oppor-
Itunity to select for himself thelyery
finest ears. Moreover. he will have
some good seed corn to SELF a price
well above market. for every man
who carefully selectssan stores seed
corn will have two neighbors who
will be in need of good seed corn
next spring.
This statement is true in part be-
cause human nature is as it is, audit
is ONLY. good business that we try tic
raise the proportion Of farmers who
provide their own seed corn,
"Thus it is seen that there should
be at least twice as much selected as
the farmer intends to plant.
Zone of the main reasons why seed
corn should be selected is so that il
Twill grow and mature the next year,
The early maturing corn win natur.
ally ripen early the next year, and
usually gives the best stand, for the
reason, that it didnot have the chance
to be injured in the field. 80 :
when the selection is to be made
from the large field the most practi.
calsmethod is togo through thefeld
with sack over ones shoulder and
select the choicest and best matured
ears from theabesb stalks. In sci.
Getting. consider the strength and
character Of the stalk, the height OF
the ear from the ground, and the
size of the shank A stalk need moi
be large to be a good producer. and
the tall stalk often lodges.
Strong vigorous stalks ofmediun
height and heavy base usually pro
duce the best and earliest maturing
ears. The ear should be attached t.
the stalk by medium sized shank
long enough to allow it tocurye ovel
to shed water.
In the choice of corn for seedont
/ should select ears-as near the type
preferred as. possible such type be
ing one which the farmer believes
will give, him the best yield. sas
Mature corn has more feeding
value; is. worth more per bushel; has
! more vitality and gives more pleas
ure in handling therefore let US sci
ect for early maturity. az go
1T is better togrow three medium
sized mature ears to the hill thar
three large immature ones. The
large cob and extremely long kerne
will give US the latter. For south
ern Minnesota dent corn ears shoulc
mot be longer than 81 inches. mol
i larger in circumference than 6 to 81
inches when dry. Ears that are mos
likely to give good results carry theil
diameter well toward the tip, have
straight regular rows of well formed
i kernels placed close together an(