The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1916-02-15
SEED CORN FOR NORTH.
More Attention Must Be Paid to the Sup
ply of II.

Washington, d. c., Feb. l5.-The fire.
quent shortages of seed corn in the
northern states are becoming more Sc.
rious 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, Wis.
consin, Minnesota, the Dakotas, Montana
Idaho, and Washington 67l6,l52
acres. Last year it was ll,l2l000. II
the industry is to continue to grow, say
specialists in the L. s. department of ag.
riculture, more attention must be paid
to the seed supply and the attempt to
grow varieties which require long sea
son in which to mature must be aban-
doned.
Varieties must be found or bred which
viii make rapid growth and mature in
the short period between the last killing
spring frost and the first killing fall
frost. When man aids nature by Sc
Letting and preserving seed only from in.
dividuals' which show promise, in several
years the habits ands characteristics can
be changed considerably, and perhaps
variety which at first failed to mature
may be SO changed that it becomes suit.
able.
Even when a variety has been thus
adapted to locality, so that it will ma.
tnre under ordinary conditions, there viii !
come seasons so unfavorable that il will |
not mature. If only one years seed sup.
ply is gathered each year. all the work !
of adaptation islost The proper way is to
gather enough from a good crop to sup
ply seed for two or three years there
after. Good seed viii keep without de.
probation this long
Go ont into the cornfelds before the
hrst killing frost, gather 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
will be protected but at the same time
rave good chance TO dry out quickly;
when dry enough to she'll, do so. and put
he seed away where it will not be ex.
Iosed to too great changes in tempera
ure and moisture. ANY man can follow g.,
he simple directions here given and
liant his fields every year with good,
'igorous growing seed which he knows d
$ adapted to his farm t
The matter of seed supply is case b
Il avoiding trouble rather than trying to
emedy the trouble after il has arrived ?
no seed of the 1914 crop is available,
he farmer is in bad shap. He must pur-
base his seed, and in doing this he is in
rave danger of obtaining either poor L
eed, or seed of late maturing varieties.
Home grown seed that has been well
AIRED for, even though il was not thor.
ughly matured, is almost certain to give le
etter results than imported seed BY IA
ome-grown seed is meant seed grown Il
n the farm, or in the same county, or q
here the same general conditions affect al
1 the crop. The point to be emphasized Il
that the farmer in Minnesota, or b
orth Dakota, should not send for seed
-own in southern South Dakota or Iowa. C,
this is done, the crop resulting will
most certainly be immature next fall
hen it is necessary to harvest
An exception to this may be the dry of
nd portion of the more southern states in
he corn growers there are confronted I'll
'arly every year with drought. In or st
r TO grow corn at all, it is necessary to ia
ow early maturing varieties which will la
make" before the drought occurs Some on
cellent crops were secured in 1915; but tic
some instances good crops were Sc an
red from varieties which are not early %
lturing and therefore not well adapted tic
r northern planting. Too much care flu
n not be exercised in learning the tn
cts before purchasing seed corn there Al
lis seed will be widely offered for sale tn
is year. inl
There are certain localities, even in the tic
,st northern states. where corn did ma COS
re sufficiently 10 provide seed for 1910 tn,
is possible that the department of ag- wi
ulture NAV be able to assist farmers an
obtaining seed from these sources. In ths
Is connection an appeal is made for hs,
ary grower of northern seed corn. hav-
good seed TO sell. to furnish the Office
corn investigations OF the department ,
th his name. address. name of variety. ,
&c. and amount of seed for sale. 4 20
ierous response viii aid the depart.
MT in relieving the present critical sit ="
lion. -
results have been obtained
the Office of corn Investigations with IN
d which was very immature when
hered Even il your seed was in the n
IL dough" stage when gathered last ~
]. IL it was promptly dried and well I
ed for. il will terminate and reproduce aei
. enough TO make it preferable to Sp
thern seed. the
.ttention also is called to farmers hui nj nj
n. No. AIS entitled seed Corn. which v
,ts the subject in more detail. Tor