Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-06-09

1t is characterized by its heavy stalks
and foliage which makes 1t an ideal
ensilage corn. In the corn belt it is
known as the Feeders Friend" be-
| ing rich in both protein and oil. 1t
has high feeding value, likewise the
cob being rather soft is more readily
crushed and masticated by cattle than
most Of our ether varieties. In a
number of cooperative experiments
with kula farmers, this variety Of the
list given herewith proved best by at
| least 20 per cent in yield of grain. We
would especially recommend this va
riety for trial in the Kula and moister
uplands, both on Maui and the other
Islands Of our group.
We are purposely emitting the
white seeded and flint varieties be-
| cause these are of low market value
| In Hawaii. However, for those who
would care to give them a trial, we
would recommend Hickory King as a
short seasoned variety, especially
| suited to the lowlands, and Boone
| County White for the moister and
cooler uplands having long season
| for growth. We have now under test
number Of varieties recently sent
| out by the Hawaii Experiment sta
| ton, which includes several flint va
rieties and one from Guam. These
will be reported upon at the end of
the season.
Having determined upon a suitable
variety, the farmer may well select
and improve his corn so as to in
crease the yield and possibly the
quality, although the latter factor is
| one Of a highly technical nature The
yielding capacity of field corn cannot
be determined by a mere examination
of individual ears taken at random
| from the bin. We have made many
ear to row tests from uniformly fine
looking ears which went to prove that
good and bad parentage are dominant
factors In production. Two equally
| well shaped ears planted under iden-
tically cultural conditions may easily
produce yields Of fully so per cent diff
| ference.
Time and place, therefore, to make
suitable seed selection is In the field
when the corn, Is approaching mahIrl
ity. Then the type Of stalk, the DO
sition Of the ear on tAe stalk, the
number and the size of the ears and
their habit of hang" may be deter
mined. BY "hang" we mean the point
ing downward of the ear to enable it
to shed rain, thus protecting it
against rot in wet weather. All in
diVidual stalks which are selected
should be marked so that the seed
ears can be saved at the time of har-
vesting. 1t is we'll to select at least
twice the amount of ears likely to be
needed since after the ears are in
hand further test as to type Of grain,
Smelling percentage, termination teat,
ETC., will eliminate further a large
number Of ears.
II the select seed is planted each
year on the side Of the corn field from
which the prevailing winds blow so as
to lessen the pollination from poor
stalks In the general planting, better
seed corn can be selected from this
portion Of the field than from a field
Of corn planted with seed selection
at random. Growers who are espe-
eially interested in producing corn
seed Of the highest quality can make
further Improvement by establishing
breeding plots so situated that it can
not be pollinated from other fields.
In such cases the seed from the Sc
lected ears should be planted in rows
by themselves. Each alternate half
Of the rows are detassled as the flow
ers appear. This is done to insure
that half a row grown from each Sc
lected ear will be cross pollinated.
But better plan is to plant two seed
plots using some seed from each ear
on each plot. II the ears are num-
bered, then the corn from the even
numbered ears should be detassled on
one Of the plots and the corn from the
odd numbered ears on the other In
this way may be tested the producing
power of each ear without the pos
sible chance that any of the plants
would be self-pollinated. By selecting
ears from the best plants in the de-
tasseled rows or portion of the rows,
seed corn may be secured for further
selection until the highest attainable
type Is secured. This IS then grown
in multiplying plots until sufficien.
stock seed is obtained for general
planting.
After careful selection has been
made for several years, it is some
times an advantage insofar as increas-
ing productivity is concerned to cross
the improved selected corn with ether
corn Of different variety which has
succeeded well in the same locality.
While 1t does not always follow that
increased yields are obtained by sucn
crosses, such often happens. The es-
sential thing is, of course, to find two
mutually adapted varieties. When
this does not occur, the cross may re-
rult in very inferior variety. In
any event, it is usually only the first
cross that is effective. The second
and after generations are frequently
very inferior to either parent
The curing of see ! c0tn thai i will
maintain strong vitality Is of great
importance. After tGrve5'. corn should
be dried as quickly as possible, else
it may heat and become moldy, or at
best greatly reduce the vitality. We
at Haiku either place our SEED ears in
racks or string them in such a way
as to prevent the ears coming in con
tact with one another. While this