The Liberal democrat. [volume] (Liberal, Kan.) 1911-1924, 1914-01-23
GIVES WARNING
!. TO THE FARMERS
ALL SEED FOR THE 1914 CROP
SHOULD BE TESTED, SAYS
coTTRELL.
VERY MUCH GRAIN IS IMMATURE
orouth Made Conditions What They
Are Says Rock Island Man and
Farmers Must Act
Accordingly.

All seed for planting Oklahoma's
1914 farm crops should be tested for
termination. The drouth of the early
part Of the summer and the late rains
have resulted in immature seed in
Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri and
southern Nebraska. This is the state
ent of H. M. Cottrell, agricultural
commissioner of the Rock Island lines.
His statement is based on tour
of the states named, survey made
by the Kansas agricultural college,
and more than 600 reports from bank
ers over the states named, who have
stated in their sections reliable seed
is very scarce.
In Kansas and Missouri the farm
ers have discovered that, except In
small areas, the crops such as corn,
katir, milo and peanuts were stunted
during the drouth of June, July and
August, and that the later rains pro.
duced large yields which were har-
NeSIeu unUaIeureQ.
Mature seed which will terminate
has been in some cases ruined by the
dampness prevailing after the seed
was placed in bins.
Having Tests Made.
The Kansas agricultural college,
farmers organizations and banks
have aroused great interest In germh
nation tests among the children in the
schools and the tests have proven the
shortage of good seed.
"The survey recently made by the
Kansas agricultural college shows
that none of the 1918 seed corn is safe
to plant, as the grains are immature, "
said Cottrell Thursday,
"The college is urging all farmers
and seed dealers to test the part of
the 1912 crop remaining on hand and
use that for seed next spring. Very
careful tests are necessary and each
ear of corn or head of maize or bunch
of peanuts intended for seed should
be tested for terminating qualities
Territory Embraced.
"This seed condition Is true OF all
the territory south of the Platte river
to central Texas. except in small
areas. A district from Bridgeport
| Okla, extending eastward through
Oklahoma City and Shawnee has a
large amount of good seed, but other
districts have very little.
"In Missouri all the county demon.
stration agents, the schools in the ru-
raj districts and smaller towns, and
the banks are all testing the seed corn
of all communities. They all report
that almost no seed produced in 1913
is safe to plant The termination
tests of the 1912 crop show that 80
to So per cent of the seed corn will
terminate If soil conditions are favor
able at the time of planting.
'If the termination, as shown by
tests, is weak the seed must, in or
der to grow, be planted next spring
when the soil is moist and warm Cold
weather will kill the small roots and
the plant will die"
Cottrell says that from reports he
has received from points in all parts
of the state and the seed he examined
at the State fair much kafir seed is
immature as well as the corn and
peanuts. He is urging all farmers to
test corn, kafir, milo and peanut seed
before the planting season arrives. II
the tests show poor seed then there
will be time to secure seed from other
districts.
Already buyers are offering high
prices much above the usual for test
ed seed of farm crops. At one buy.
ing point in this state buyers have
been offering 50 a bushel for tested
kafir seed