The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1912-03-29
Various Phases of Agriculture
Were Discussed Well.
VALUE OF STATE CREAMERY SHOWN
Hon. loci Winkjer Throws a Light On
Great Butter Industry; Topics
Create Much Interest. ...
From Saturdays Daily.

From Saturdays Daily.
A. D. Wilson, superintendent OF
the agricultural extension division
at the state university, continued
his talk on Good Seeds" at the
Better Farming convention held at
Elks hall yesterday afternoon. His
talk was one we'll worth coming
many miles to hear, for what he
gave was culled from his many
years experience as an expert along
this line 1t was matter OF re-
gret that more farmers did not at
tend this convention, as the practical
talks made by the various speakers
were unusually beneficial to farmers
who desire to increase their soil fer
tility, their grade of cattle and stock,
and finally but not least important.
to increase their incomes.
A. L. Veigel presided at the ses-
sion yesterday afternoon, and dur
ing this session many practical hints
were given out freely to those pres
ent The speakers of the afternoon
session were: A. ID. Wilson, on
Good Seeds" Joel G. Winkjer on
THE State Creamery at Albert Lea"
and A. j. Glover, assistant editor OF
Hoard's Dairyman, OIL "Soil and Soil
Fertility" DR.. NJ. B. Wood also took
an active part in the meeting. There
was large attendance at the open
ing hour at two o'clock in the after
noon, but the farmers kept coming
in during the meeting, so that by
three o'clock a large part of the big
hall was filled. AT the close Of the
meeting, several subscriptions were
taken to Hoard's Dairyman, which
is considered the standard dairy pa
per, and which is so ably edited by
Mr. Glover Mr.. Glover came to
Mankato on condition that his ex
penses be paid and fifty subscrip.
tions to Hoard's Dairyman handed to
him, on their equivalent. Thus the
Commercial club had to make good
the deficiency in subscriptions, which
was priced at 81 a year.
Told Of Experiments.
Mr.. Wilson in his talk at the aft
ernoon session started out relating
some interesting experiments in test
ing and planting good seeds. Each
kernel in one particular test was
selected on the basis of what it had
done. Out of 10000 seeds planted,
only 100 seeds were selected. Then
the products from these plants were
weighed and from this number fifty
were selected as the best producers.
These we're again planted and rails
ed.
At present the station is testing
1000 plants a year under field con-
ditions, and about 125 varieties are
grown. Whenever a new plant is
head of that looks promising, enough
seed is secured to plant one-twen-
tieth of an acre. The one best plant
of the 10000 kernels originally Sc
lected, was able to finally yield from
four to four and one-fourth more
bushels per acre than the original
yield. Finally the bins at the state
experiment station contained 1900
bushels of wheat from that original
best kernel and most of this grain
was sold at $3.50 bushel as seed
grain in four bushel lots, the idea
being to get it into the hands OF
men who would appreciate it.
The 375 farmers who bought these
four-bushel lots were requested to
make a report to the state expert
ment station. Out of this number
about IS had planted this good wheat
on the same land as the other wheat
but according to these reports the
average increase of the grain grown
from these good seed was 3.3 bush.
els more per acre, showing the pos
sibilities of good seed
AS direct result of that one
kernel of wheat the state has in
creased it's good wheat to 100000
bushels year. This wonderful kerr
mel was first planted twenty years
ago and now about $2,00O,00O a year
is added to the state as a result of
the sale of the offspring of that
seed. This wheat is known as Min
nesota No. 169 and every farmer
should get that variety q
In some instances this new variety
Of wheat has not grown as well on
certain land as the old wheat the
farmer formerly used.
Don't Select Seed BIindIy.
BE honest with yourself Don't
select your seed with your eyes shut.
Use the tanning mill; for this does
lot Of good work for which it is
not given credit. Take a handful of