Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1916-07-14

Guilty next mentioned, that is, the
liking OF grains by volunteering, is
the outcome of the dry conditions
which keep the shattered grain from
sprouting from one year to another.
When conducting demonstration
! work in these for the railroads. we
! Invariably tried to begin with pure
seed Notwithstanding the result
ant crop was seldom absolutely pure.
/ Ii grown on new land, the threshing
! brought in some admixture and if
grown on older land the admixture
was further increased by volunteer
grain.
The farmer IS usually anxious to
get pure seed. He is usually willing
to pay price for it higher than the
market price if he is sure that the
seed is absolutely pure. BY abso-
mtely pure is meant absolutely true
TO name and free from all admix-
ture of other grains and weed seeds
II asked where can such seed be OBJ
tanned in the northwestern states.
would have to say that | can not
tell From the above the extent of
the opening for growing pure seed
viii be apparent.
This work can be conducted with
greatest success in a cooperative
way and on new land. The reason
for cooperation lies in the fact that
the grower or growers of pure seed
should have their own threshing ma
chine. New land will furnish soil
approximately free from foul weeds
While the grower OF pure seed may
be able to grow more than one spe-
cies of seed grain on the some farm
with success, he will probably sue
coed better by combining his atten-
ton to one species and to one yari-
ETY. of that species. For instance if
the seed grower begins with Turkey
Red winter wheat he should grow
no other seed than that variety of
winter wheat, or course he may. if
he so desires, grow some variety Of
seed flax also seed oats and seed
barley. but in such instances he will
lind at least some difficulty from the
mixing Of these.
OF course il Is essential that the
grower begins with absolutely pure
seed. To be quite sure OF this it may
be necessary for him to select heads
by hand in the matured grain. This
Is very tedious process, but in the
end it will probably prove that the
time was we'll spent. One peck of
grain thus selected and sown on
good land and we'll prepared, will in
an average year grow enough of seed
to SOW about 10 acres. The first
seed soWn would not, of course. fur
nish any for sale. The second year
very large amount could be sold
II does not take long, therefore, to
get started in this business. AS a
safeguard it would be well to treat
for smut in the case of wheat. and
for wilt in the case of flax. This
does not mean that it would moi be
possible to obtain seed absolutely
pure from some grower when com
mencing this work, but it does mean
that it is greatly important to be
absolutely sure that the foundation
seed is free from all impurities. If
there are only a few grains of ad-
mixture by some other variety. these
will continually increase. If that
Increase were unchecked, the time
would come when that other variety
would form half the crop, providing
the inherent yigor Of the two vari-
cites is equal
Once started With pure seed, Tie
work of keepiIg it pure is relatively
easy providing he grower uses his
own threshing machine. But should
the admiXture at the first be ever 50
slight with some ether variety of the
same species, it is scarcely possible
to separate completely these vari
cites afterwards. Here then is a
sure and profitable line of work for
many growers. Who will he the first
TO take it up?