The Ellensburg dawn. [volume] (Ellensburg, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1913-02-06
The Farm and Garden
HOW TO SELECT
YOUR SEED CORN
Field Selection of Seed Corn Is the
Keynote to Successful Corn Breed
ing-Select the Ears in the Field

Field Selection of Seed Corn Is the
Keynote to Successful Corn Breed
ing-SeIect the Ears in the Field
(Reply to Jacob II. Marshburn, Cath
crime Lake, North Carolina.)
We are delighted to know that you
are interested in the breeding of good
seed corn. Next to the better and
more thorough preparation of the soil,
the proper selection and production Of
seed corn is the work most needed in
the south. The variety tests at the
Experiment Stations show that Of
twelve of the leading varieties of corn
tested, the difference between the
higest and lowest yield per acre on
the same kind Of soil with identical fer
tilization and cultivation was 1872 br
We fully believe that the average yield
OF corn in the south can be increased
more than twenty-five per cent by
planting prolific seed instead of seed
that has run out. Like produces
like"
1t will probably be best for you to
buy the best seed from some reput
able breeder in your section and then
learn the best scientific methods to
| further improve the seed. The buy
ing of the best seed from some reput
able breeder in your section will save
you several years of labor and expense
in breeding up the seed. However.
you can, by following instructions,
rapidly breed up your own corn.
First, select stalks that bear the
ears at a moderate height on the
stalks for the reasons that it is diff
cult to gather ears too high and the
stalk is apt to be top heavy and easily
blown down by viii lie.
Second, select stalks OF medium,
size gradually tapering from base to
tassel.
Third. with large cared varieties,
no stalks that have more than two
ears should be selected. and an effort
should be made to select some stalks
| that have two ears and some that have
one.
Fourth the leaves should be broad
and strong, from twelve to sixteen in
number, and well distributed on the
stalk
Fifth. the stalks should be well
anchored by numerous strong base
roots from one to two joints above
the ground to enable to Withstand
winds. Stalks free from suckers
should be selected as far as possible.
Sixth detassel all weak stalks and
stalks growing only nubbins or no
ears at all Just before the silks begin
to show in good number This will
prevent fertilization by inferior stalks
Seventh, the ear should be cylindri-
cal or nearly so. 1t should be full
and strong in the middle portion and
the circumference should be approx
mately three-quarters of its length
The shuck should be heavy and well
extended over the end of the ear and
closely gathered about the silk The
shank that bears the ear should be
long enough to permit the ear to droop
at maturity.
Eighth from ten to thirty times as
many ears should be selected as will
be necessary to plant next years
|
crops.
Ninth it is best to select and pick
| the seed corn in tie field before the
first frost. The seed ears should be
placed where they will be kept dry,
and where they will be protected from
damage by weevls, rats etc
Tenth. during the winter remove
the shucKs from the ears of corn and
select the necessary number of the
best ears to plant in the spring The
rows of kennels should he straight
and not les, than sixteen nor more
than twenty-five in number. The ear
should be from eight to ten and half
inches long. The color of grain
should be true to variety White corn
should have white cobs and yellow
corn red cobs The tip should not be
too tapering. 1t should be well covered
with straight rows of regular kernels
of uniform size and shape. The rows
of kernels should extend in regular
order over the butt end of the cob,
leaving depression where the shank
is removed. The tips of the kernels
should be full and strong, leaving no
space between them near the cob
The kernels should be about five
sixteenths of an inch wide by five
eighths of an inch long, and about six
to the inch in the row.
1t is a good plan to have special
seed patch and plant say twenty-five
of the best ears in this patch. Each
ear should be planted in row without
mixing with any other ear. Twenty
five rows planted in this way Will be
sufficient for the average farmer. At
maturity, harvest each row separately
and weigh the yields. Select the ears
for next years seed patch from the
rows that give the highest yields, and
the remaining portion of the rows or
highest yield are used for planting
the field crop. And so the work
should be continued from year to year
Yours very truly.