The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1912-02-15
YOU MUST PLANT GOOD SEED.

Ward county farmers and farmers from other
sections of the state for that matter, will plant
many acres of corn next year. Corn thrived SO
we'll last that it is no longer the question OF
who will plant corn, but how many acres each Will
have. Corn raising in North Dakota has come to
stay. Many things about this feature of farming
must be learned. First of all, great care must be
taken in the selection of seed Seed houses are
having hard time getting seed that will meet the
requirements of the pure seed law An effort
should be made this year for the farmers to grow
their seed. We give herewith valuable piece
of news concerning some Minnesota farmers who
grew corn very successfully last year:
Twentyseven farmers near Dasse Mimi, ent-
cred an acre-corn contest last year and one of
them raised less than 55.1 bushels on the prize
acre The three CARLSBAD brothers won the prize
with yield Of 1O6 bushels of shelled corn grown
on one acre of a 5-acre field. Their secret was
simply IN the selection of the seed.
The average farmer used to go to his corncrib in
the spring take as much corn for seed as he need
ed and plant it without ever knowing whether II
would terminate or not Some terminated and
some did not, the result of such hap hazard farm
ing being that few farmers got half as large crop
as the land would have Yielded had care been taken
in the selection of seed.
Only two years ago it was discovered that TWO
thirds of the corn held for seed In Nebraska was
dead" This timely discovery and the spreading
of information about seed selection saved FARMERS
of that state millions Of dollars.
The CARLSBAD brothers did not take bushel OF
corn from the crib in the spring and plant tnat;
neither were they content with selecting the best
looking ears at the harvest Of the year before. The
work in selecting seed corn with them is as care
fully done as is that OF raising racing horses by
the farmers Of Kentucky One Of the brothers 10
p graduate OF the Minnesota School Of Agriculture
and another brother attended short course OF the
same school. Aside from this their education has
been that Of the average country school.
The CARLSBAD method of getting seed corn Is to
have plot of a quarter Of an acre devoted solely
TO raising seed. Ten ears OF the best corn obtain
able we're taken as start With each ear fouf
rows Of corn we're planted one kernel in hill and
the set Of rows Of four each numbered to CORES
nond with the ears from which the was taken
This plot is carefully cultivated and when mar
vested each set of four rows is carefully compared
Ten ears from the showing the highest yield
are selected for the same test the next year THIS
Is continued each year Naturally the entire yield
from this seed plot is excellent seed corn.
IN the spring the tip and butt Of the ears OF Sc
.ected corn is she1ed and thrown out, as well al
the inonerfect kernels IN that part OF the ear still
,ef+ Then from each ear a certain number OF
Grains is taken for a germtnatton test. These
er.;ne ara n1aced in shallow boxes between damp
cloths Tn sly or eight days It is known whether
tho termination percentage is high enough to make
the painting of the other grains the ear deslr-
able.