Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1916-02-12

tA@ZA is not taken in selecting
Elk and testing the best ma
u tured corn for this seasons
HDNS Pl1 Ws may well tax. tn.
warning to heart, for this
section of the country lives and pros
peRs largely on the production of its
land, and follow the advice of agricul-
tural scientists who can tell our peo-
pie how to escape heavy loss. This
advice will work no hardship and no
expense if followed. 1t will require
a little careful work and sharp watch
ing at season of the year when the
farmer Is not overburdened with labor.
Nineteen fifteen was a bad year for
corn. A cold, wet season retarded
the growth of the grain. The crop
IN many parts of the corn belt was
immature: it contains an excessive
amount of water and is unfit for seed
The scarcity of seed corn is really
the most serious in many years.
You farmers may say you are going
to use seed from your 1914 crop. Don't
trust it The grain may have been
damaged by the frost during the hard
freezes of last year Don't trust
it-test 1t. The high price of corn.
too, On account of the war has near
ly exhausted the 1914 crop and this
source of supply then is not reliable.
Missing Hills, Weak Stalks.
There are about 500 kernels on the
average ear of corn. One poor seed
means 500 weak, moldy or dead kerr
ne1s. Ii these are planted it means
missing hills and weak stalks produc-
ing little or nothing. According to
reports just received, every indication
points to very serious trouble with
seed corn, especially in sections lying
north of central Illinois and in North
Dakota, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michi-
gan and Iowa.
This community ought to get busy
right now. for the prosperity of our
community-our merchants, our bank
ers, our builders, our workers-de-
ponds on the prosperity of the farmers
hereabouts. We ought to start a seed
corn campaign The county superin-
ten1ent of schools can reach the farm
ers through the rural schoolteachers,
who IN turn will see that the children
carry the message home. You bank
ers, merchants and implement dealers
who trade directly with the farmers
ought to write personal letters urging
ally. In short, all of US ought to mo-
bilize our forces, just as our nation
would have to mobilize all its re-
sources in case of war
You farmers must not use poor seed
this spring. 1t means too much to all
OF us. Poor seed means not only
poor stand and a portion or the
field idle. but that you must cultivate
missing hills, one-stalk hills, and poor
worthless stalks. and receive nothing
IN return.
Don't Work for Nothing.
Thousands of people every year
work more than a third of every day
on ground that produces nothing De
not depend for seed on the occasional
good ears selected during the husk
ing period. The corn will be injured
by freezing before 1t is husked or be
fore 1t has had time to become dry
after hasking-
Select the hest ears, if you have
not already done so, and string them
on binder Irvine and hang up
Do not store seed corn in barrssls or
boxes. 1t viii gather moisture" and
mold or freeze Do not store over the
stable. Do not put Immature or fresh
" gathered seed corn in a warm room
on the floor, or in piles. It will either
sprout, or mold. or both 1t should be
hung up at once. and the windows
opened to allow the freest circulation
of air. Do not depend on the crib
for seed corn.
One day devoted to the seed corn
at the proper time, may be worth
more than an entire month OF hard
work next summer put on poor stand
OF corn
The attic is a good place to hang up
the seed corn There should be cir
culafson of air through the room
space three by eight feet viii hold 200
strings of corn. twelve to fifteen ears
to each string or about enough to
plant 200 acres Three-fourths OF this