Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1913-09-04
SEED CORN WEEK

The governor of Minnesota has is
sued a proclamation setting aside a
whole week as seed corn week. Dur
ing this period he advises every farm
er to drop all his other work and de-
vote his time to selecting seed com
for next years crop. The state agri-
cultural college will issue Instructions
to the farmers on how to gather tho
best corn and how to cure it. 1t is to
be stored where plenty of air can ge-
to it but where it will be protected
from dampness and frost.
What the governor of Missouri un-
dertook to do for his state the gov
ernor of Minnesota is trying to do for
the corn crop Which of the two
schemes will accomplish more for the
farmer is hard to tell but the corn
proposition seems to promise more
Anyway the latter slends itself more
readily to figures.
There are approximately 100,00O,000
acres annually in corn in the United
States, producing about an average OF
twenty-five bushels to the acre, giving
crop in excess OF 2, 5O0,0O0,00O BUSH
els. Could this crop be increased only
five bushels per acre by proper selec-
ton of seed and that is a very low es-
innate of what is possible, the value
would be enhanced, at 60 cents a
bushel, total of $500, 100000, which
sum would go a long way towards
making good roads. 1t represents ev-
cry dollar expended upon roads in
the United States. The best corn farm
ers seldom get a better stand than 81
per cent and many fall below that
figure The Department of Agricul-
ture says the average corn field has
not over &C per cent of stand, while il
many cases the percentage is 40. III
all these could be increased to "a per
cent, which experts say is easily pos
sible by proper termination tests, in
the spring, the corn crop of the coun
try would be increased nearly one
half, or some $S000OO,O0O year. This
is sum large enough to attract at
tention.
1t is only few years since this
propaganda for better seed began
Farmers had in the past been accus
toned to going to the corn crib in the
spring and picking out the best look
ing ears Smelling them and planting
with little care Some were even so
foolish as to use the nubbings for seed, |
thinking it a waste to use the best
corn. Now the corn expert knows that |
like produces like. He knows that
good ears produce good ones, that
kernels CT strong termination produce
vigorous stalks, that ears taken from
stalks on which two ears grew are
more likely to produce two-eared corn
than those taken from single-eared
stalks. Therefore, the scientific farm
err takes the best seed he can get,
plants a seed patch away from the
regular field and in the fall selects
from this patch only the best-formed
ears and preferably those from two
cared stalks He then hangs the ears
up to dry, and later puts them where
they will get air, but not moisture and
will not freeze. In the spring he cuts
off the tips and butts, tests each indi
vidual ear for termination strength.
and then plants only the seed that
passes this final test. If every farmer
did that the corn crop would be worth !
almost a billion dollars more than y I
Is. AS a start towards realization Of i
this fact, seed corn week is a COM {
nendable innovation. 9