The farmer and mechanic., 1915-09-21

ent yield, through the use CT better
methods of seed selection, from S75,
900 to 100000 annual increase would
result in net receipts for the corn
crop of the State. These are exceed
ingly low estimates of what might be
done by the use of proper methods OF
seed selection, for the writer, as we'll
as workers in other States. have found
that from five to ten bushels of shelled
corn more are yielded per acre from
we'll selected seed than from those Sc
lected by less intelligent method.
Field Selection and Growth of Seed in
an Isolated Field
BY carefully selecting a limited |
number Of the very best obtainable
seed ears from the field in the fall and
planting them in field separated
from any other corn, something like
500 to 600 yards, to prevent cross
ing by the pollen being carried by the
wine, much better and quicker results
may be secured than where simple
| field selection from the general crop
alone is practiced, i. e., if the breed
| ing plat is properly cared for. This
| plat should be tolerably fertile equal
at least to the lands on which the
general crop is to be grown, for pow
! erty of soil is very conducive to re-
version thereby losing in one years
| growth on a poor soil much of what
| has been gained by number of years
of rigid selection. The rows in the
| breeding plat should be of such length
| that they will require only about
three quarters of an ear per row: and,
| in planting, each row should receive
its individual ear, so that the~per-
| fOrmance record in yield of each seed
ear can be seen, and if not satisfac-
tory the whole row may be rejected
for seed purposes. After planting as
Il -
ed ears, a composite sample should
then be made of the quantity of each
ear left over, and a border of several
rows planted entirely around the
breeding plat to still further prevent
the possibility of wind pollination
from outside cornfields. The land on
which this plat is to be located should
be given deep and thorough prepara-
ton. The subsequent civilizations of
the corn should be every ten to twelve
days, with a cultivator with smaller
l hoes on. rather deep early in the
l season. but becoming shallower and
g with the larger hoes on as the season
y ADVANCES and the root system extends
d towards the middle Of the row anG
: nearer the surface. Especially is thi:
= important on upland soil. where con
servation Of moisture plays such al
It important part in yield. When tn,
n corn in the breeding plat has attained
It the tasseling stage the tassels from
% all barren stalks should be CAREFUL,
= removed just as they are emerging
e from the rolls Of the last leaves. Tn
a tassel is the male part Of the corr
le plant, while the silk is the femal
= part. When the stalk is barren O
'r bears only male organs the tassel
lie frequently above the average in size
20 strength and vigor, as all the vita
r. forces Of such a plant have been eS
cd h cir Cr1n
r duction; hence, when an ovule or EN-
Or bryonic kernel, through the silk.
of fertiliZed or pOllinated by the yello,
ts dust-like pollen from a barren stall
TX it will, when planted, have stron
n tendency, inherited through it's NAL
parent, to produce a barren or poe
yielding stalk. The tassels should ais
p- be removed from all weak, disease
is and otherwise stunted plants, for tf
Ii same reason we would not use
of ''scrubby," stunted bull in a herd
if cows if we cared anything for tt
ne future improvement Of the stock.
a has been demonstrated time and agai
ly by carefully conducted experiment
lie that by selection from poor plants tI
to yield of grain will not only be mat,
as rally reduced but will also be Of a
n. inferior quality. The writer has du
,ly ing the past six or eight summers wi
OF tied a number Of cornfelds in diffe
he ent parts of the State, and has four
Lr- but few fields that contained les
as than ten per cent of barren stalk
he which means that from every te
acres in cultivation a loss of the vie
Of one acre from non-productive stall
ny is generally sustained 1t must n
Ike be overlooked that the secret in su
in cessful corn growing consists in ha
ne, ing good stand and in having ca,
he stalk bear at least one or two goo
Ids sized ears, as it costs just as much
all, cultivate non-productive stalks or la1
on | without stalks as it does prolific on
,ch and a good stand. The number of ba
rem stalks in our fields should not, u
-. der average conditions Of fertiliZatio
s weather and cultivation, ever rea
I,. u over three to five per cent.