The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1916-03-10
ing in any one county. In a great

for years without any effort a
selection or improvement. Ir
such sections we should develop
strains of well bred corn and ex.
clude mongrel seed. AS long as
so many varieties ae grown in
section it will be very difficult
to develop and to maintain a va
riety of well bred corn. The small
farmer cannot do very much in
the way of breeding corn, as he
has not sufficient area for an
isolated breeding patch. Such
work must necessarily be done
on the large farms. AS soon
as a variety has been started
in a section and steps taken to
keep it pure and well bred, then
all farmers should grow that va
viety so as to make it easier to
keep it pure. Live stock men
always advise system of COM
munity cooperation in raising
any kind of live stock, and we
in growing corn should likewise
establish a cooperative system
for establishing a strain of corn.
All of the breeding work with
the corn should be in the hands
of a large farmer who has the
intelligence and facilities for do
ing the work. To him we should
look for good seed for that Sec
tion.
In selecting a variety to start
with, the. best local variety
should be used Seed brought in
from any great distance will take
two or three years to get ac-
climatized. If the local corn is
very badly mixed, or is not very
good then outside corn can be
brought in to get a start, but
where possible a local strain
should be selected. We want a
variety which will give us the
most corn, whether it be a pro-
life one or not. Once the vari-
ETY. is chosen do not change. De-
eide on the variety, and the type,
and stick to it.
There are very few farmers
who do their selecting in the
field. Far too many of them
take their seed from the crib.
We must remember that to breed
good corn, and to make intelli-
gent selections we must deal
with individuals. BY this
mean individual plants in the
field, as there is the place to
make selections and not in the
crib. All selections should be
made before a single stalk of
corn has been cut or bale of
fodder has been pulled. This is
necessary for two reasons, here
dity and environment. In MAX
ing crib selections we cannot tell
whether the ear is better on ac-
count of its environment or
whether that particular ear is
better because of inherited quail
ties. We want those ears, from
stalks which show that their
good qualities are due to here
dity rather than to environment.
All selections should be made
from stalks frown under the
same conditions or as near to it
as possible. When we select ears
from good vigorous stalks in the
field we know that they are good
on account of their inherited
qualities and not so much on ac-
count of environment. No Sc
lections should be made unless
the stalks from which the ears
are pulled have had the same
chance as the others. Extra
space between the plants, due to
poor stand, will make large ears.
These we do not want, for it is
due to the environment of that
particular stalk. 1t has received
more food, more sunlight, and
more moisture than others, and
it will naturally produce larger
and better ears.
Improving Corn by the Ear to
Row Test.
The Importance of selecting
good seed corn and taking good
care of it cannot be over estima-
ted. Experiments show that
well bred corn suited to it's eli
matte conditions will produce
from 10 to 100 per cent. more
than seed corn now used by the
average famer. Rich lands,