The Lemmon herald. (Lemmon, Perkins County, S.D.) 1912-1917, 1916-05-10
SEED CORN FOR THE NORTH.
Shortages Ars Becoming More Serious
a. Importance Of Crop Increases.
fPrepa rod Nv Jrnitad c,.,o. san,~.r.. -,

Shortages Ara Becoming More Serious
~ Importance Of Crop Increases.
tPrepared by United States department OF
agriculture
The frequent shortages of seed corn
In the northern states are becoming
more serious as the importance Of the
crop In this area Increases. In 1903
the acreage Of corn In the northern tier
OF states-New England. New York.
Michigan. Wisconsin. Minnesota, the
Dakotas, Montana, Idaho and Wash
ington-was 6,7l6,l52 acres. Last yea
1t was 11,121.O 900. IL the industry ia to
continue to grow. say specialists In the
United States department of agricul-
ture. more attention must be paid to
the SEED supply and the attempt to
grow varieties which require 4 long
season In which to mature must be
abandoned.
Varieties must be found or bred
which will make rapid growth and
mature In the short period between the
last killing spring frost and the frs,
kNling fan frost. When man aids ma
ture BY selecting and preserving seed
only from individuals which show
promise in several years the habits and
characteristics can be changed consid
efably. and perhaps a variety which at
hrst failed to mature may be so
changed that 1t becomes suitable.
Even when variety has been thus
adapted 10 q locality so that it will ma
ture under ordinary conditions, there
Will come seasons so unfavorable tha,
1t will not mature. IL only one years
seed supply Is gathered each year all,
the work Of adaptation is lost The
proper way Is to gather enough from n
good crop to supply seed for two or
three years thereafter. Good seed will
keep without depreciation this long.
20 out into the cOrnfield before the
6rst killing frost. gather a good supply
OF the best ears to be found on stalks
growing In competition with others.
hang these ears up in some place where
they viii be protected, but at the same
time have . good chance to dry out
quickly. When dry enough to shel, do
80 and put the seed away where It will
not be exposed to too great changes IN
temperature and moisture. ANY man
can follow the simple directions here
given and plant his fields every year
with good, vigorous growing seed
which he knows Is adapted to his farm.
The matter Of a seed supply Is a case
Of avoiding trouble rather than trying
to remedy the trouble after It has mr..
rived. II no seed Of the last crop Is
available the farmer is In bad shane.
He must purchase his seed, and In do
ing this he IL In grave danger OF oh.
tanning either poor seed or seed OF late
maturing varieties.
Home grown seed that has been well
cared for. even though II was not thor.
Oughly mature. Is almost certain to give
better results than imported seed. By
home grown seed is meant seed grown
on the farm. or In the same county, or
where the same general conditions ar
fected the crop. The point to be en-.
phasixed IL that the farmer IN Mime.
sofa or North Dakotn should not send
for seed grown In southern South Dn.
kota or Iowa. II this II done the crop
resulting with almost certainly be I'm.
mature next fall when II 10 necessary
to harvest.