Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1913-07-25
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Small Grain Seed Selection, By
F. D. Hawk.

Cne county OF Stevens. Why cannot
this be the case from year to year on
and ever increasing number of our
fields? This is question that is up
to every Stevens County farmer to
solve. A question which every
Stevens County farmer can solve on
his own farm with but little more
work than is now expended on his
farm.
Too few of us realize the possibili-
ties of a single grain of seed. Let
US stop to consider for moment that
we may apprehend its value and con-
slider what it means to the farmers of
our country. I take for granted that
there is not a farmer in this county
who would not like to increase the
yield of every crop he sows and at
the same time make the quality
better.
Professor Wilson tells us that
Minnesota No. 169 wheat, bred at
university farm. st. Paul. and now
generally distributed over the state,
was in 1892 single kernel. The
product from this kernel of grain was
selected because it showed that this
kernel had yielded more than other
kernels given similar treatment and
similar opportunities. The products
of this kernel were grown side by
side with other kernels of several
years under uniform conditions and
this Minnesota No. 169 stock showed
its ability year after year to yield
ga bushels more than the variety
from which it was selected.
After ten years of such tests or
in 1902 the Experiment Station had
1,500 bushels of this wheat all COM
ing from one kernel selected in 1892.
This wheat was distributed in four
bushel lots to 375 farmers in Mime
sofa who reported that it yielded 3.3
bushels more per acre than the
wheat they had formerly grown. At
the present time there are over 500, :
600 acres of this variety grown In
the state which undoubtedly Inc
creases the yield of wheat in this
state over on million bushels.
In Stevens County there sown is an
nually approximately 40, 500 acres of
oats. 63, 600 acres of wheat, 5000
acres of barley. liza acres of rye and
473 acres of speltz and emmet.
Should an improvement be made ON
Stenves County farms equal to the
reports of farmers OF the state of 8. 8
bushels per acre as in the case of
Minnesota No. 169 wheat on each of
our crops of grain an annual increase
of 425, 600 bushels would be obtained
and at an average value of. so cents
per bushel of all crops an increase
of S212, 500 dollars would be added
annually to the county wealth, or on
our 1O15 farms there would be an
annually increase of 5000 per farm.
Is it worth while?
On many of our farms we sell
whatever comes handiest and leave
enough in the bin for our seed no
matter what the quality or. as is done
by many. sell of all the crop in hopes
that in the spring they may be able
to purchase from a neighbor some.
thing better. The result of such
procedure too often results disaster.
ously.
How many of our farmers would
use like methods in the selection of
his breeding live stock? Let me cite
you parallel case of stock select
ing with that of grain selection as it
is now practiced by many farmers.
Would a man having a hundred
head of stock and wishing only part
of them for breeding purposes, open
theRate and let out seventy head anC
retain the thirty left he would be the
laughing stock of the whole com
unity, still if he practiced the same
methods in grain selection he has hi
the same thing that is universally
practiced by that laughing community
How queer it is that we do not see
our own folly in the same light thai
we see the folly of neighbor.
Now then can we make a rapiC
stride in the right direction? This
question is easily answered. On al
most every farm there are spots
where the grain has a sturdier. more
vigorous growth with heads better
filled and bearing more and larger ker
nels than elsewhere in the field. /
is from these spots that he will selec
his seed grain and will take grea
care to reap at the right time am
shock the sheaves in careful man
ner. 1t is from these spots that i
the threshing time he will use car
that the grain is threshed when i
good condition and kept separate j
the best bin from all other grain
From these spots many times th