The Ontario Argus. (Ontario, Or.) 1???-1947, 1916-02-17
TESTING SEED CORN
JOB FOR RANCHERS
IN BAD WEATHER

Many Jobs are advertised for th,
farmer while shut In by the bad
weather. The Farm papers tell him
to mend his harness. tighten the
fence, get up the winters fuel sup.
ply and various other things The
Important indoor Job for the irri-
cation farmer I'm Mnlheur County is
90 test his seed corn
Seed Corn testing has been the
| favoritc piece of advice offered TO
corn growers for years. because of
the great benefit to be secured with
20 little effort Half the Deed is
In the Seed" This IL especially true
OF corn, for as we find the kernel, 80
we find the entire ear. is a rule with
few exceptions
II requires but eight to ten good
sized ears TO plant an acre. Then
suppose that two Of them are worth
less. That means you will get four
nfths OF possible crop. but II will
cost YOU as much for plowing, cult
waiting and irrigating as perfect
crop. Can you see how easily you
can drop your profits by planting un-
tested corng Besides these sterile
ears there may be some that will
sprout but put out sprouts NO weak
that they could not grow under field
conditions, and II they did they might
be 40 far behind the stalks around
them that they would make barren
stalks. II Is practically impossible
TO get perfect stand OF corn without
an ear test. and IL IL 80 simple |
and easy that there can hardly be an
excuse for planting untested seed.
One very simple method Is 10 drive |
nails upon which TO stick the ears In
regular rows through board 80 that
The individual ears can he numbered.
Then make flats about twenty Inches
square and three inches deep. Divide
his flat into small two or three inch
squares, using wire as It is more per-
NNNNHN AlhN hNllNkr
Each square can then be used for
! correspondingly numbered ear. Fiji
h9 flat with some sandy. loose soil.
vet II down and then II Is ready for
business.
Choose a certain number OF kernels
rom dinerent as OF the ear and
lace In the corresponding check.
after all tine checks are filed, cover
nth thin layer of sand, and set IN
warm place. Always be careful
D keep the flat moist,
IN a few days the corn will sprout
nd you will be able to sort out your
-rong growing ears from the weak
nd dead ones,
Making the individual ear test Is
uch better than Smelling the corn
nd then making a composite test for
'yeral reasons, II is impossible 10 "
ok out the individual bad kernels,
nd you destroy your chance of find
z and discarding the had seed by y
telling before testing. True, II YOU
nd your seed bad you can plant ~
Tie heavier than il all good, but !"
is will cause many hills 10 be too "
lex while some will be too thin.
ne only good method Is TO make the A
diyidual ear test, because il Is so n
nple and cheap that a child can do
Let every one test his seed corn
q 20 get an even break at the start.
Another point which I desire TO
u 90 ,Ae attention of the now corn
overs, is the value of well-bred
20 corn, There is scrub corn as
NJ as scrub live stock, and oyery 80
over should increase his chances ne
using the very best There are re
I'd corn breeders in the corn belt WI
1t make a speciality of pure, high u
seed, and it will pay every an
'n grower 10 procure some of this IL
eeially-bred corn to grow his seed ne
the next year. am in position to o'
Ne orders for this corn, and so, If r.
u VIII forward your order TO my sV
ice l will be able to make up a co
'se order and get better rates than 'uI
'uld be possible by each individual. 'o'
w. w. HOWARD, q
(puntu A8rf.,1..-s. Dll