The Mobridge news. [volume] (Mobridge, Walworth Co., S.D.) 190?-1917, 1914-06-19
GROWING GOOD SEED CORN.
BY Wesley Fuerstenan, ~Brookings
County.

There is a general demand for we'll
bred seed corn, as shown by the large
number of inquiries received by the
Department of Agriculture, requesting
Information regarding the purchase Of
well-bred seed corn adapted to a GER
tain locality; such questions can not
lie satisfactorily answered in all cases,
as corn has not been adapted to each
and every section.
Improved strains are needed for dill
ferent localities, owing to difference in
soil, climatic conditions and length of
growing season. By selection a strain
may be greatly improved in produc-
tivity and at the same time adapted TO
focal environment. Because such diff
~ferences prevail, corr improved Ia one
locality does not afford good seed for
localities which are unlike 1t, making
com breeders essential in all sections
Of the United States where corn Is
grown. This affords an opportunity for
progressive farmers to become public
benefactors in their respective neigh
borhoods by improving a strain adapt
ed to their local conditions. This
source will net him a good profit for
his effort and at the same time doing
his community q great good. Many Of
hiT farmer friends will gladly pay him
good prices for his seed in prefe1nce
10 buying seed shipped in from solne
other section and perhaps OF inferior
quality ever though the price be
less. Thus he can gain reputation and
make this a source of permanent in
come. It is important to breed q COrn
that natures in time to escape f'ost
and that Yields an abundance of torn
Of good quality.
The characters that influence the
production Of grain per acre must be
carefully considered. A desirable
stalk is one without suckers, thick at
the base, we'll developed root systems;
stalk gradually tapering towards the
top and bearing slightly below its mid
die point one or more good ears: the
stalk will vary in height in the different
sections: it should be free from DIS
ease, possess twelve to sixteen we'll
formed blades and the ear should he
attached by an ear stalk or shank TO II
or five inches long. The stalk should
be we'll chosen, as upon it depends tile
quantity and quality Of grain pro-
,duced.
Method of Corn Breeding.
1t is important to begin breeding the
best corn available CT the strain deci1-
ed upon by the breeder. The next step
is to fix in mind the ideal stalk. ear,
and kernel; saving from time to time a
sample ear that most nearly conforms
to the ideal. One hundred or mere
ears should be carefully selected from
the most desirable stalks. The seed
should be selected before there is dan
ger of frost; if n feature desired is
20 produce earlier corn. then seed ears
should be selected from the earliest
maturing stalks thus an earlier matur-
iEg strain will be produced. Only the
ears conforming to the type and full
filling the qualifications OF a good ear
should be preserved until nearly plant
ing time, when they may be shelled and
the kernels from each ear kept sepa-
rately.
The breeding plat" should BE- at
least forty rods from other corn to
avoid mixing of the two varieties; the
corn may be drilled IN rows from 500
TO 900 feet IN length and the grain
from one ear planted in the row SO
that che productivity OF each ear may
De determined. This plat should re-
aAiva the same care as the main fsld.