Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-10-23

ton. There is no use blowing, harrow
ing, fertilizing and working up the land
as carefully as possible unless there is
enough good seed on hand TO plant IL
While other agencies enter into croI
production. there is no single element
OF greater Importance than good seed
Strange to say, comparatively little at
tention is given this subject. 1t is
a common experience in travelling across
the country TO see poor stands of corn
cotton and other farm crops. Sometimes
good seed may have been planted and
the fault NAV be attributed to weather
conditions, but in many instances the
seed planted was not viable to begin
with had not been selected with care
and hence was not calculated to with
stand even slightly adverse conditions
AS a result, the farmer has growing or
his land about half as many plants
per acre as il is capable Of supporting
and bringing to proper fruition. Natur'
ally. the yield is low and the cost OF
production greatly increased thereby. He
then feels that he must have an extra
ordinary price in order to obtain, as he
says, a difficult eXistance from the
soil. AS a matter of fact, the fault
may often be due to to his own care
lessness. Certain it is that the farmer
who does not secure a perfect stand
can not produce crops economically OF
secure crops commensurate with the
returns he has reason to expect from
his land. The successful farmer in al
instances which have come under my
observation is the man who looks after
his seed. and who makes as certain as
possible that he will have a perfect
stand.
In this connection IL is important to
remember that war conditions have up.
set the seed trade to a very considerable
extent making il difficult for the seed
merchant to obtain seed of many varie-
ties of crops which we, grow largely in
this country. The increased cost OF
labor and its scarcity and the difficult
ties Of transportation also render II
more difficult to get a high grade Of
seed than formerly was true. 1t may
be in some Instances that the seed OF
certain crops will not be available. next
spring or. only in limited quantities a.
best. The result is that an unusually
high price will prevail and the farmer
Who Is careless and indifferent will find
himself at planting time either unable tC
obtain seed or the cost will be so great
ne will not be justified in making the
necessary investment TO plant the va
riety of crops needed on our farms In
order that we may meet the war Is
sues with the greatest measure of sue.
cess.
There is no doubt but that the federal
government will make every effort 70
ala the farmers in securing good seed.
seed merchants will put forth every eff
fort of which they are capable, but even
then there is some danger that there
will be a food shortage and the wise
man will attempt TO protect himself
against this condition as much as pos
sible by saving his store of planting
seed at a comparatively early date. AS
matter of fact, there should be an
abundance of planting seed in the United
States of all the standard crops which
We need to grow on an extensive scale.
There is hardly a farm which does not
produce a large amount of seed which
IL properly saved and taken care Of
could be planted to good advantage
There is no reason why there should be
{ scarcity of corn, cotton. cowpeas, vel
vet beans. soy beans and peanut seed
To insure an available supply, however
steps should be taken 10 save and pre-
serve desirable strains Of seeds of these
crops at the present time. IL is a COM
mon saying that seed run OUT or tina;
a breed OF cattle deteriorates. Undoubt-
edIy these things occur. but the run
the right cause. There is no reason
why a strain OF wheat should degener-
ate. and the chances are il will not II
the farmer undertakes TO reselect i
from year TO year and so maintain II
to q good standard. Races Of people in
the history o. the world have been
known 10 degenerate because OF certain
conditions which were allowed to de-
velop and which tend to lessen the virili-
IL and strength of the race rather than
maintain and enhance it through wise
system of judicious selection.
The selection of planting seed, there
fore. OF the best character and grade
is 2 matter of the utmost Importance
and one which is vital TO the interests
of our agriculture and the production
of profitable crops of high quality. While
selection may be carried on in a variety
OF ways. much can be done in a very
simple matter. Seed corn should be
chosen from stalks Of moderate size, well
leafed, relatively early in maturing and
which produces one or two medium
sized ears. In examining any corn field
il will be found that a good many stalks
fail to produce an ear; others produce
only small ears of undesirable shape
and with grain of inferior quality. Il
the farmer goes TO the crib in the spring
and simply picks out the ears of corr
as he comes to them. and thousands ot
farmers still do this, he gets all grade;
81 seed for planting and probably gets
more grains from the undesirable type
az stalk than from the good type. This
IS an objectionable waste. All that II
necessary in order to secure a better
.iade OF planting corn is to select good
cars from the right kind of stalk. Husl
them out and put them in some plac,
where they will be kept dry and pro
tected from sudden changes I'm weather
Treat with a little carbon bisulphide q
destroy the weevil and thus insure the
grain Of corn retaining it's vitality. This
IS a simple matter as only q small
quantity of seed will he required. j
will not take a day 20 select the SEED
corn and provide for it's proper storage
and preservation. If the farmer vii
take this advice. II will be one of tin,
best days work he ever performed, To-
the chances are that we are securing
probably so to 80 per cent OF a stanC
Of corn. and If we could by selecting
the seed increase the stand only pei
cent II would amount to several bushels
per acre. which at present prices would
constitute a large return on the tim
invested.
, What has been said of corn apple
with equal force 20 cotton. There ar
hundreds OF varieties growing in Geor
gia. seed map of the state whicl
-. ~ sho rnflaua Of AUri