The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1912-03-07
SURREY FARMERS DISCUSS
POTATOES AND CORN

that ripens get discouraged. And,
( again, where the corn is grown for
fodder the silo or for ears, corn
! that ripens is the best.
Prof. Iadd found that the dry mat
! ter in corn increases at the follow
ing rate: Twice as much when silk
ed out as when in full tassel, three
! times as much when kernel is in milk,
four times as much when kernels are
! glazed, and five times as much as
when ripe. He also found that there
vas 1S9 pounds Of starch in an acre
/ of corn when tasseled out and 354O
when ripe or over Is times as much,
and the dhsestibilty increases as the
corn natures.
1t will pay bankers to encourage
and to aid some farmer in his local
ity in starting into the business of
growing seed corn. Such home grown
seed will command good prices. In
many cases, if not always, such seed
will mean mature corn, and imported
seed, immature corn.
! One bushel of seed will plant 6 to
I acres # ordinary seed corn sells
; for S.. 90 per bushel, home grown
seed would easily sell for S. 90 and
even more. That would only be 3Oc
per acre more for the home grown
seed, and it is worth many times 3Oc
to have corn that will mature for
sure.
For the northern part Of the state
at least Flint corn will be the most
satisfactory In trials at the Expert.
ment Station Flint corn has yielded
more than Dent corn. The feeding
value Of the Flint and Dent corn is
practically the same. The Flint be-
ing harder is 4 little more leafy than
that from the Dent corn, which makes
it more valuable.
Potatoes was topic opened by Mr..
II. R. Pence. He complained that the
topic was too broad, but said that the
most important point IN the whole
range OF discussion was in the Sc
lection of seed. He advised that seed
should be secured by hill selection
and that seed patches should be
planted separately and the potatoes
thus secured kept separately from the
main crop. Keep seed potatoes dur
ing the winter at a temperature rang
Ing near "a degrees and treat all seed
for scab before it is planted. Don't
plant potatoes which have put out
long sprouts. Land intended for po'
tatoes should be thoroughly disced in
the fall early and again in the spring
hefore the ground is plowed. Work
the ground with the harrow several
times before planting and plant four
inches deep in deep, loose seed-bed
the first week in May.
Question: DO you plant in the signs
Of the moon?
Answer: No, sir! plant in the
, ground. The moon is too far away
Mr.. Pence planted potatoes with q
horse planter and does most Of the
| cultivating with harrow. Last yeal
he narrowed his potato field after he
had been thru it once with Guilt
, vator. Don't manure a field upon
! which you expect to plant potatoes
unless the manure is put on thick
enough to be burned off. In case the
wind rs quiet the ash is left on the
field and the |fertili4er secured In
) that way. Barnyard manure applied
, in the ordinary way causes potato
, field to dry out. The tubers thrive
. best in a deep, fertile soil. Mr..
= Pence has Arrow sprayer and uses
, / 10 pounds of Paris Green to a bar
rel Of water. Don't delay spraying
! when the bugs appear. To make q
: thorough job go over the field the
5 second time as fast as the tops dr.,
l | off from the first application.
' Mr.. Morton Wells explained
= method of treating potatoes with sui
, phur to keep off bugs. After tht
seed has been cut about IL bushell
( is put into barrel with half pound
! of sulphur. The barrel Is rolled ove1
several times and the -four Of sui
! phur adheres to the pieces Of tubers
D When the plants come up the sulphur