The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1917-09-28
SEEDCORN MUSTBE
CAREFULLY STORED
Probable Shortage as Result of
the Seasons BackWardness;
Necessary Precautions.
EARS NEED GOOD DRYING
Thorough Ventilation Of Storage Room
Is Therefore Essentiai-MichIgan
Corn Best for Seed.
BY J. r. COX,
Professor Of Farm Crops, Michigan A.
ricultural College.

ricultural College.
East Lansing, Mich.-The favorite
rallying cry of the city business man.
whether he be an automobile manufac-
turer employing ten thousand men, or
a grimy boOt-black holding forth on
the curb, Is "Patronize home industry"
This spirit, crystalllzed, has borne
fruit In the easily visible development
of city enterprises.
The motto, while city-born and city
bred, is one which the farmer can well
apply to his own business, particularly
with respect to seed corn. Michigan's
best corn growers have found their
greatest success has come from what
may be said to be adherence to the
motto use homegrown, field selected
seed"
This fruit of their experiences as
thus summed up is Of Importance just
now for the reason that ears carefully
selected this fall i'm the home field-if
you have variety of proved worth,
are likely to give better results in 1918
than will seed brought In from else
where. Many Michigan man has
found to his sorrow that corn brought
in from other states where it has done
well will not necessarily do the same
under Michigan conditions.
But home-grOwing and home-selec-
ton is not. enough. Good seed corn can
only be secured by thoroughly drying
carefully selected ears before they are
In late September or October, the
corn as it comes from the field contains
from 30 to 40 per cent of moisture.
In order to retain its vitality it must
be rapidly dried so as to pass through
the winter with moisture content of
not more than II to 10 per cent.
Immediately after harvest, corn for
seed should be placed where it will
receive free ventilation. No two ears
should be allowed to touch. The ears
may be strung on binder Irvine and
hung from rafter, or where large
amounts of seed are to be handled, spe-
cial drying houses are desirable with
numerous windows or panels which
will give free circulation of air, or a
stove to furnish artificial heat TO hast
en- drying and prevent freezing.
This fall is the time to select Michi-
gan-grown corn for next years crop.
Corn from other states is often not well
adapted to Michigan conditions. To
insure sufficient supply of good seed
corn to plant Michigan's crop the COM
ing spring, therefore, the concerted ac-
ton of all Michigan corn growers in
selecting and storing it is needed.
The important points to bear in mind
are these:
BY field selecting during late Sep
TENDER and October the highest yield
ing ears can be saved.
About one corn grower in 100 in
Michigan selects seed corn in the field
before harvesting the main crop. If
every farmer field-selected, IA great in
crease in corn yield would result.
Seed corn of high vitality can only
be secured by drying rapidly, immedi-
ately after picking and storing, in ven
tilated room.
Good seed cannot be secured from
the crib.
Good seed means a good stand
Planting poor seed results in frequent.
ly missing hills. 1t costs as much to
cultivate poor crop as good one