The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1914-01-23
PROF. J. G. lee ADVISES
PLANTING MORE CORN.

LNW INV iWUNL UUlEiS'
written for Southwest Louisiana De.
velopment Bureau by Prof. j. G.
Lee of Southwest Louisiana In.
duStrial Institute.)
The yield of corn per acre in South
west Louisiana has not yet been and is
not at the present time what il should
be. We of this section, with our lands
which are unexcelled in fertility, lead
every section of the state in the pro-
duction of corn. 1t is needless TO say
that The most fertile land in America is
right here in Southwest Louisiana.
The yield of corn can be increased by
the following means; ~ selection Of
seed; ~ thorough preparation of the
land; az method and depth Of planting;
IA better methods of cultivation;(5)
intelligent application of fertilizers.
II is absolutely necessary that we
plant high class seed for this de
termineS, more than any other one
thing, the successful production of a
maximum yield. The law OF breeding
Like begetS like" and "The likeness of
the ancestors" is applicable to the
growing of corn. If scrub corn seed is
planted, we most certainly get scrub
corn in return. The following brief
outline for selecting seed corn is given
here as guide: (.
SELECT SEED EARLY.
First, go in the crib, at once, or in
the field at harvesting time and select
the best ears that can be found for
planting next seasons crop. Select
fifty of the best ears out of the selected
corn, plant these away from all other
corn, using one ear to each row. When
this corn begins to silk and tasSel, de-.
aSSel every other row and all barren
stalks, or non producers, on all the
other rows. At harvesting time select
fifty of the very best ears from the de.
taSSeled stalks and save these for the
breeding patch the following year and
continue this methor of improvement
Indefinitely. The remainder of The
corn from the detasseled stalks and
that left from the original selection
can be saved for planting the general
crop.
Second, instead of selecting corn
from your own crib or field it might be
better to purchase fifty or hundred
ears of some we'll established variety as
Calhoun Red Cobb, Hastings Prolific,
Royal Semi Flint, or shaw aud proceed
from year to year as outlined above.
Any of these varieties will do in this
section. In selecting the corn for the
seed patch, one can select for number
| of desirable characteristics such as
form of ear, two ears per stalk, size OF
ear, etc. 1t is generally desirble, how.
ever to obtain as many ears per stalk
as possible and selection is generally
resorted to for this purpose because
this gives a considerable increase in
yield per acre.
THOROUGH CULTIVATION
Some authorities say that the
thoroughness with which the soil is
prepared for planting is half the battle
in crop production. In the writer's ex
perience it is absolutely necessary that
our soils be well prepared for receiving
the seed. The land should be broken
from eight to twelve inches deep about
two months before planting time. This
is necessary for the decay of all vege
table matter that is turned under Sc
that it may be in an advanced stage oil
decomposition at the time Of planting
this deep breaking prepares a vel
pulverized medium in which the young
plant roots can grow and multiply. Il
allows the air and warmth of the suns
rays to enter and bring about activity
| in the soil organisms and by this in
creased warmth and activity the young
plants receive a good send off. By
deep breaking, drainage is also in
creased which is a fundamental re
quirement for the best results with oul
soils in this section. The better the
drainage, the earlier we can plant ant
the better physical condition our sol
will attain. After breaking the lane
the first time, it should be brought t
a very fine filth to receive the seed by
narrowing, etc. This is a very i'm
portant consideration and lack of it is
very often the cause of poor yield O
corn.