Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-02-22

planted, there is likely to be cOnsid-
cradle falling off in termination, even
from the best ears. Any sort of a shall
low box or tray may be used to hold the
blotting paper or cloth, and by the plan
suggested, a very large number of ears
can be tested I'm short time. The labor
involved amounts to nothing. Arrange
ments for the test can be made any
evening in the average farm home. In
fact, If the children are invited to as
sist they will probably enjoy the ex-
perience very much, and every one will
be keenly interested to see how the diff
ferent ears perform in the terminating
box. The observation of the character
OF the ear and the test obtained Will
afford much valuable information, for 1t
will be quickly demonstrated how deceiv-
ing appearances may be with regard to
the terminating power of corn as judged
by the eye and by actual performance
the only reliable guide we can follow
I'm dealing with the selection of plants
or animals.
If this method of testing seed corn
were followed on every farm, 1t is quite
certain that the stand could be in
creased from 10 to 20 per cent, and
this IL will be found is a very conserva-
tive statement by those who will take
the trouble to make the necessary in
vestigation No better form of corn
crop insurance is available at the pres
ent time than that of testing the seed
before il is planted. There can be no
objection urged against this suggestion
on the basis of cost of apparatus or
labor involved. The only thing needed
is to overcome the inertia of habit
which causes men to get into rut
and therefore be constrained to look
upon every innovation in farm practice
with disfavor and to conclude by rea-
son of prejudice that a suggestion rel
alive to the testing of seed corn is not
worth while and will not prove of any
benefit in their particular case. TIE
fact that the yield of corn can be in
creased considerably by the testing of
the seed and the securing of a good
stand should provide the only incentive
needed by the average farmer to cause
him to test his corn with great care
and patience. Those who doubt the
value of testing seed corn and elimi-
mating undesirable and low terminating
ears from the seed selected nave only
to observe what some of their friends
and neighbors have done to see the prac-
teal importance of testing their seed.
If this matter of seed testing has
proven so valuable to a few, it will
certainly be Of service to all who care
to undertake it along rational lines One
reason why we do not make greater
progress in our farm development work
lies in the difficulty of getting people
to adopt newer and better methods; in
other words, to undertake the simple
task of helping themselves. Nature has
practiced seed selection from the be-
ginning of the world. Only the vigor-
Gus and well-developed, viable seed
have a chance to survive under the try
ing ordeal to which she subjects them.
Hence, by rejecting the unfit and en-
couraging the fit, she tends to keep up
the average of production among trees,
shrubs, plants and everything that
grows out of doors, and this law of
the struggle for existence and the elm
ination Of the unfit applies to animals
just as we'll as to plants.
Let every man who expects to grow
corn in the whole southeastern states
this spring select his seed now if he
has not already done so, and test 1t as
carefully as possible, so as to insure
the planting of the choicest OF the
grain at his command. If this is done,
our corn crop will be increased to a
considerable degree and the plants
themselves able to withstand unfavor-
able weather conditions better than
would otherwise be the case because
they will represent the best of the race.
SUGGESTIONS RELATIVE TO THE
USE OF COMPOST.
W. c. W., Carthage, N. c., writes: /
have abundance of oak leaves and pine
straw, and can haul same to the field for
$3.50 per ton. Can buy ground phosphate
rock for so cents per hundred, and can
burn wood ashes for Is cents a bushel I
am told that two tons of leaves or two and
a quarter tons of pine straw, 600 pounds OF
phosphate rock and ten bushels of ashes.
will furnish same plant food as a ton of
1922 guanO. The guano would cost nealy
$4S. 90, and the leaf compost about $500.
But the compost would be too bulky to pillow
under. l told that concentrated I've
or common soda will rot the compost in
few weeks. Please give me your opinion
this plan.
Dry mixed leaves contain about !
twelve pounds of nitrogen, six pounds of
phosphOric acid and six pounds of
potash per ton. OF course, there is a
variation as the proportion of leaves
from different trees preponderates. You
will see from this. therefore that two