The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1916-09-08
SELECT SEED CORN
|lG|vEs HIGH YIELDS
Boys Climb Members Urged to
Make a Specially Of Seed
Selection by County Agents
Corn Grown Under Average
Field Conditions Desirable
increased Yield OF 10 To 30 Per
Cent. Secured - Should Be
Stored in q Dry
Place.

College PARK. Aus. 91.-The fact tia.
much higher yields Of corn can be se-
cured from the careful selection Of
seed corn has become generally rec
ognixed by farmers throughout the
State. Members Of the Boys Corn
Clubs OF the various counties are be-
lng especially urged to specialiso In
Aeld selection by their County Demon
ueratioM Agents.
According 10 Prof Nickolas SchmitE,
Of the Maryland State Agricultural
Experiment Station, the proper seaec-
ton Of seed corn Is the nrst step to-
ward q profitable corn crop. In this
connection he says. Now IL the time
to make the proper selection Of your
seed corn. Don't consider seed good
stmply because IL will grow. 1t should
also retain its full vigor. The only
-W&y eRN vigor can be retained - to
cake care OF the seed properly. This
can be done BY selecting the seed be-
fore storing It. The superiority Of
properly preserved seed over that
picked from the crib. even though the
orb. seed terminates we'll, has been
proven over and over again. the an
crease In yield in the wellpreserved
seed over cribUicked seed usually run
ming from 10 TO 80 per cent.
sThe only proper way TO select seed
corn % from tho standing stalks. AS
soon a. the crop ripens. 20 through the
fleid With basket or bag hung ACROSS
the shoulder and husk the corn from
desirable stalks that have produced
goo6siGed ears without having any
special advantages Of ar, moisture and
fertility. Avoid very large ears on
stalks standing single or with large
amount Of space around them. Prefer
ence should be given those plants that
have produced well in competition
with q full stand. Late-maturing plants
with ears which are heavy because Of
an excessive amount Of sap should be
passed by: sAppiness IL likely 70 de-
stroy quality. Everything being equal,
short, thick stalks are preferable. They
are not 30 easily blown down. permit
thicker planting, and in general. are
more productive than slender stalks.
The position Of the ear is also i'm
portant. It should not be too high, as
the higher the ear is placed on the
stalk, the more apt the stalk is to blow
down In case Of storm. The ear
should also have q tendency to droop
rather than to point upward, because
Of the danger of water getting into the
husk and causing sprouting Of molding.
Il Is an inherited tendency Of corn to
produce suckers; therefore, other
things being equal. seed should be
taken from stalks not having suckers.
1.-THE most important step in seed se-
lection, however, is to place the ears
selected In a dry place with free cir
enlatiOn Of aiY. 50 that they Will dry
out quickly. The storage room may be
any place where air ciscniates freely.
such % wagon shed, barn loft, or
attic But DO not throw tho seed ON q
pAles that would not be much improve
bnt over the crib. Tie the ears In
lunches on string or In some other
way. placing them SO that there is free
circulation of air around each ear. The
seed should be left In this manner until
It Is IS dry as a bone which usually
takes about two months. After this,
It may be stored in mouse-proof boxes
or barrels or crates IL desired. or they
may be allowed to remain where thsy
are"