The chronicle=news., 1914-10-10

and soil conditions where 1t is to be
PLANTED. ~deGEl0
| (2) Grown on productive plants OF
"a productive variety.
t3) Well matured, and preserved
from ripening time till planting time
in a manner that will retain It's full
lvigor. 'sN
| The importance of the three re-
tquiremsnts Just enumerated has been
demonstrated experimentally by the
departments office of corn investi-
cations. The results given briefly.
as enumerated, are as follows: ...i
% For series Of five years. IL
well bred varieties were tested in 10
seed being used In each state. Varie-
ties that produced most in some
states were among the poorest in
others.
t2) Seed ears taken from the high
est yielding rows Of ear-to-row breed
ing plats have repeatedly produced
better than seed ears taken from
boorer yielding rows. Seed ears
from the best producing stalks found
IN n general field produced more than
seed ears taken without considering
the productiveness of the parent
stalks.
CD Four bushels of ears were d.
vided into two equal parts, one part
being we'll taken care of and the
other placed in a barn as corn Is or
dinarily cribbed. The well preserved
seed gave yield on poor soil ~
per cent higher than the poorly pre-
served and % per cent higher on
fertile soil, notwithstanding the fact
that both lots OF seed terminated
equally we'll.
At corn ripening time drop all
|'other business and select an abund-
ance of seed corn. The process Ia
too important to be conducted Incl
dentally while husking. When Sc
Letting seed corn give the process
your entire attention. Get the very
best that ia to be had ana preserve
it well. and your increased yields
will return You more profit than any
other work you can do on your farm.
The only proper way 10 select seed
corn is from the stalks standing
WHERE tneS grew uS oOOh 40 IipS al"
before the first hard freeze.
AS soon as the crop ripcns. so
through the field with sect picking
bags and husk the ears. from the
stalks that have produced the most
corn without having any special ad-
vantaees. such as space. moisture or
fertility. Avoid the. larre ears on
stalks standing singly witt an mus
ual amount of space around them.
Preference shorld be given the PLANTS
that lave produced most heavily in
competition with full stand Of less
productive plants. ~.
In all localities the isherent ten
dency of the plant to produce heav-
lily OF sound. dry. shelled corn is OF
most importance.
Late maturing plants with ears
hich are heavy because OF an ex-
cessive amount of sap should be ig-
rored. Sappiness greatly increases
tile weight and is likely to destroy
the quality. In many sections this
fact is not sufficiently appreciated.
In the central and southern states
all other things being equal, short.
thick stalks are preferable. Short
stalks are not so easily blown down
and permit thicker planting. Thick
stalks are not so easily broken down
and in general are more productive
than slender ones.
The tendency for corn to produce
suckers is hereditary. other things
no
from stalks that have no suckers.
The same day seed corn Is gath
cred the husked ears should be put
in a dry place where there Is free
circulation of air. and placed in such
a manner that the ears do not touch
each other. Good seed ia often ruin
ed because it is thought dry enough
when gathered and the precaution
mentioned is considered unnecessary.
Many farmers believe that their au-
tumns are so dry that such care Is
superfluous. Seed corn in every To-
cality gathered at ripening time will
be benefited by drying as suggested.
II left in the husk long after ripen-
ing it may sprout or mildew during
warm, wet wether or become infest-
ed with weevils.
The vitality of seed is often re-
duced by leaving 1t in sack or IN
pile for even day after gathering.
During warm weather. with some
moisture in the cobs and kernels. the
ears heat or mildew in remarkably
short time. "WV
The department of agriculture has
a bulletin that gives in detail the
best manner of treatment for corn
after it is gathered. Tie bulletin
also describes how seed corn should
be stored during the winter and
| tests of. the termination of seed corn.
The bulletin may be had free by those
who request Farmers Bulletin No.
AIS, on Seed Corn from the De-
l -.