Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-09-07
PROPER SELECTION OF SEED CORN
There Are Three Important Factors Which Aid in Increasing Corn YiAds-First the
Soil; Second, Proper Tinage; Third, the Proper Selection (which
Should be in the Fidd) and Storing of Seed Corn.
BY g. p. BULL and L.. H. ROBBINS.

A common practice is to select ears
that are too large. 1t is much better
to grow three medium-sized mature
ears to the hill than it is to grow three
larger immature ears per hill. AS "a
general rule, the larger the cob and
the deeper the kernel, the longer it
will take the ear to mature.
Indications Of maturity are looseness
of kernels on the cob. a high percent
age Of moisture, chaffiness Cor thin.
small, poorly developed kernels), ad-
herence of the tip q to the cob, and
generally a large amount Of white
starch.
It may be well to emphasize the fact
again hat many are inclined to select
ears that are too large. This is a very
natural thing to do. because everyone
likes large ears of corn better than
small ones; but it is yield per acre
rather than large ears that determines
profit. And if one allows himself to
select ears SO large that they will not
| mature, he is the loser thereby.
1t has been learned, by many tests,
that ears of a certain form yield more
than other ears different from the
standard 10TH. LIARS VI COIIl IlhSly u
give best results, carry the butt dame
ter we'll towards the tip; they are free
from indentations or other irregulari-
ties that would end to decrease the
yield of the ear; they have straight,
regular rows of uniform kernels, and
nave kernels extending we'll over the
tip and butt.
1t costs just as much to grow an ear
of corn that has kernels covering
three-fourths Of the cob As 1t does to
grow one with kernels covering the
whole cob. The kernel contains most
of the feeding value. The cob is of
very little value as food, hence the
rows of kernels should round well
down over the butt and extend we'll
over the tip (not necessarily clear
over) thus insuring a good proportion
Of corn to cob. The rows should run
straight from the butt to the tip; be-
cause, in crooked rows, there are
more irregular kernels, and kernels of
irregular size make it impossible to
plant a uniform number in each hill.
To get the most feeding value out
of an ear of corn there should be nc
space between the kernels at the cob.
1t is the tip Of the kernel-the end that
contains the germ-that Is richest. in
food nutrient. Pointed, chaffy tips In
dictate low feeding value and poor
terminating power. Every ~precaution
should be exercised to select seed corn
that will grow and produce strong, Wig
orous plants. Space between the kerr
nels at the cob, and lack of furrow,
usually indicate a ow proportion Of
corn to the cob, immaturity and poor
vitality. The tip of the kernel should
oe wide, allowing room for a long, |
road and deep germ.
Nothing will aid more in making a
Ugh yield of shelled corn than a deep,
well-formed kernel. But do not select
a too deep kernel; because the deeper
the kernel, the greater is the length OF
lime required to mature it; and. above
all other things, maturity is the first
consideration. To C uniform
planting, the kernels of selected seed
corn must be all of nearly the same
size, not only on one ear, but through
out the whole selection. rs.
A few ears Of yellow corn, in a field
planted to white corn, means there Is
a mixture and that seed from that field
will not be pure Pure-bred corn, like
p~ure-bred cattle, always sells better;
not necessarily on account of superior
ity in the individual, but because 1t Is
well known that a pure-bred plant or