Omaha daily bee., 1912-01-06
PUGSLEY SAYS SEED IS POOR
University Professor Urges Cam
paign for Better Seed Corn.
SPEAKS AT COMMERCIAL CLUB
Lawson and Odeu of Rural Life
Commission Tell business Men
Of the Problems on the
Farm.


Prof. c. w. Puesley OF the agricul-
tural extension department OF the Uni
verslty OF Nebraska. speaking Of seed
corn, and L. O. Lawson and Frank G.
Oden Of the Nebraska Rural Life COM
mission speaking Of the work Of the
commission, formed a trlumviratc OF
speakers that held the attention of li5
business men for an hour yesterday at
luncheon arranged by the public ar
fairs committee Of the Commercial club.
Prof. Pugsley said the seed corn situa-
ton I'm Nebraska is the worst in years
Lack OF moisture, he said, caused the
corn growth to stop in the middle of the
. summer and rains in late July ana early
August started it again. This was re-
rponsble Tor late maturity OF the corn
and when a hard freeze came in carly
November the corn was still fun OF
moisture and the germ was killed.
Corn Is DcccivinE.
"rhe farmers, as a rule. don't know
this" said Prof. Pugsley. Some Of them
think they can tell without testing
whether corn will grow, but there isn't a
man living who can always tell Tho
corn looks fine, put tests show that
large percentage of it is dead
AT our farmers institutes in various
counties we had the farmers bring IN
what they considered the best seed corn
they could find. They were sure 1t would
GROW. Tests proved that the greater part
Of it would not"
Tests at Chadron, said Prof. Pugsley
showed about 40 per cent of the corn
good for Seed at Farnam, 10 per cent
At Upland less than 10 per cent OF the
corn tested showed strong sprouts, while
so per cent of it was entirely dead. Al
Central City, Genoa, Fremont, Beatrice
und Virginia, the tests showed low per
centage of good corn. Tests are now be-
ing made at Papnlion and Mr.. Pugsley
SANS they will show 50 to 90 per cent o.
good corn.
The condition is better in the eastern
than in the central and western counties
he said but so far he has discovered nc
section where good seed corn can be oo'
tanned in large quantities. He urged the
Commercial club to help him in finding
such place, as seed corn brought II
from other states does not do well here
Publicity work valuable.
Prof. Pugsley asked the cooperation o.
the bankers, grain men, creamery men
implement men and all the other business
interests in the publicity campaign foi
good seed that is about to be inaug uralec
by the publicity bureau of the CONNER
cial, club. The bureaus campaign TWO
wears ago did an estimabie amount o.
good. he said, but its work this veal
should be of more value, as the seed STU
alton is worse.
/, &. Lawson Of Clarks, Neb., chair
man of the Nebraska Rural Life com
mission, told of the organization and
work of the commission.
Frank G. odelr Of Lincoln, secretary o
the Rural Life. commission touched OF
the report on rural conditions in Ne
braska which the commission VIII max
next week at the annual meeting u
omaha of the Nebraska farmers con
gress. 1t will be based on answers mad
by thousands Of farmers to series o
questions sent out by the commission.
Farmers Want Tax Change.
Sixty per cent OF the farmers who re
piled to the questions, he said, asked tha
unoccured land be taxed the same as I'm
proved land Most of them objected l
poor school teachers" Despite censu
REPORTS, he declared, only about 6OO'W
people live on Nebraska farms and the
are moving to town as fast as they car
The approaching value of farm land h
said, is making it harder and harder 10
the farmer to make a profit over an
above the interest on his money invested
Until it is easier to make such profit
or until farm life is made more pleasant
the people will keep moving to town, sal
Mr.. Odell.