The Mena weekly star., 1912-03-28
FARMERS SHOULD
TEST SEED CORN
The Orange Judd Farmer Warns
All Growers That Conditions
Are Particularly UnfavOra-
Bile for Year 1912.

The seed corn situation is fright
full. II has not been so bad in 20
years. II is exceedingly doubtful
whether seed corn for the next
years crop at this time was ever
in as poor condition. Much Of the
corn was late, heavy rains during
September, October and November
prevented drying out on the stalk
and even where the seed corn was
| husked early and placed in drying
sheds the large humidity in the at
mosphere prevented thorough cur
ing Along late in October and
| during November there were
number of nights when the Their
mometer went away below the
freezing point, thus destroying or
greatly impairing the terminating
power of much of the corn select
ed early. with the view of securing
/ first-elass seed. Nearly every
state in the middle west reports a
serious condition of affairs. In
Iowa November freezes did an inn
mense amount of damage, and un-
doubleday only very small per-
centage of even the best corn will
be fit for planting. This same con-
dition exists in Illinois.
A prominent and careful seed
grower in Douglas county, ILL.,,
writes Orange Judd Farmer under
date of December 9, that he has
been busy testing seed corn intend
ed for market He finds the task a
discouraging one, as only GO per
cent of the corn that was mature
and gathered early in October, be-
fore cold weather arrived, Is 1T
for planting, and this in spite of the
fact that the corn was placed on
the wire racks in a furnace-heated
building with all the top ventilat-
ors open. He predicts that 1912 is
going to be the worst year for find
ing seed corn that will grow that
this country has ever experienced.
He himself will not send out an
ear from which he has not tested
six kernels. AS consequence
seed corn is going to cost more
than usual. He suggests that corn
farmers must have corn that will
grow, or much. of their labor will
be lost. He. thinks it will be good
economy to pay SIS per bushel for
tested seed.
The same condition exists in In
diana, in Missouri, in Kansas, in
Michigan, in South Dakota, and, in
| fact, in most of the prominent corn
growing states. In Ohio, however,
the crop seems to be in better con-
dition than almost anywhere else,
but even there the terminating
Equality of the crop is low.
Test for Early termination.
| What does all this mean? 1t can
mean nothing but that every farm
er, whether he be small or large
grower, must test his seed corn
and he must begin early. The
time TO do 1t is right now. If you
lflnd that your corn does not grow
lwell, you wifi then have an oppor-
ltunity to skirmish around and look
for some good seed. It is probably
needless to cell intelligent readers
that seed corn of low vitality
means an immense loss in hand
ling the great American corn crop.
If you get poor stand the profits
are reduced. If you use seed that
has low vitality the yields will not
be at all satisfactory. Don't wait
until just before corn planting time
to test your seed, for it will then
be too late to secure seed of good
terminating power.
II isn't a difficult problem to
test your seed corn. Take six kerr
nels from different parts of every
ear, and place them in compar-
atively warm location until the
corn begins to sprout. The ears
that start quickly and grow Wig
orously are the ones TO keep for
seed. Be exceedingly careful about
this, as it may mean all the differ
ence between profit and loss in
your farming operations next year.
And while you are about it, test
other seeds. Test your spring
wheat, your oats, your clover seed,
your alfalfa, and, in fact, every
kind of seed that is used in your
farming operations. The same APP
paratus used for testing corn and
answer for the other grains and
grasses. The work can be done
during the long winter evenings,
will cost you nothing and will
| 1ft1. -.