Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1917-06-26
A Step In Self. Defence.
(By e. d. Newdick, Chief, Bureau Of Seed I'm
DrOvomontl

II
Experience is good teacher and th,
price the farmers OF Maine. have had &,
pay for seed for this seasons planting
will no doubt open the eyes OF great
many. Seed wheat at "a 90 per bushel
seed potatoes at $3 90 and $S so per bush
el, seed beans ~ high % ,$l4.00 bushel
and Longfellow variety yellow corn al
% 90 . bushel, are prices paid that have
come under my personal observation
and have heard Of still higher prices
for some OF this seed.
The point want to bring out is, tha,
right now is the time for the farmers to
begin TO fortify themselves against re.
petition OF these prices for seed for an
other years planting.
The high price was not, however, the
only difficulty, for, In many cases, the
farmers were unable to secure, st any
price, the seed which they wanted, and
especially was this true OF yellow corn
and some varieties of beans.
Good seed 10 something that cannot be
furnished on short notice, and plans for
next years seed should be made during
this growing season. Experience has
taught that local.grown seed, when
handled properly, gives the best results,
because It Is acclimated and used to soil
conditions. For example, In sections OF
Maine the farmers know that . certain
variety of corn grows best and plan to
use that variety, while 10 another section,
an entirely different variety may be the
best grower. What is true of corn Is al
80 true of other crops.
The best method to adopt, In my mind,
Is to grow at least enough of each crop
for seed, under conditions that will war
rant the best results. In the potato
piece, keep an eye out for dwsrfed and
diseased plants and take your seed from
bills that have strong, vigorous plant
and yield fair amount Of goodsized
tubers when dug this fall.
Watch your bean plants and remove
from section Of the piece, hills that are
weak or show signs of disease, such a.
rust or authracnose, which IL, In appear
auce, similar to rust. On snme hills Of
beans, badly diseased, . mold will BE-
noticed early In the season and these
should be removed.
To get the best corn seed, . selection
should be made in the fall, when the ears
are filed out. Go through the piece and
choose stalks not excessive In height,
but OF average height, having an ear With
the keruels In even rows and extending
we'll over the tip Of the cob. The posi-
ton of the ear on the stalk, and type OF
stalk, should be noted. Mark the stalk,
so that seed ears can bessved at time OF
harvesting.
might mention other crops, but the
main point is to look ahead and prepare.
We often hear 1t said, and believe 1t is
true, that only about one.third OF our
farmers pay any attention to seed i'm
provement, and think We are all agreed
that this is absolutely wrong, for everv
farmer should be improving his seed each
year.
If you want seed for next season, other
than you have planted now, look around
In your community and get your neigh
Dor, who is raising what you want, to
take care of his crop, and offer him
enough more for good seed to make It
worth bis while. 1t Ia my belief, from Q
close contact with the situation, that
the most of seed planted In Maine this
year was of good quality, but 10 some
crops au excessive demand for the seed
brought sales of slightly inferior stock,
and 1t Is repetition of this that we want
TO avoid.
Each season brings demand for the
best seed, and farmers are willing to pay
little more for It, 90, In carefully watch.
ing your crop. you are helping to grow
more and better crops for yourself and.
at the same time, will have seed to sell
which will command . better price,
Maine Department Of Agriculture. John
A. Roberts, Commissioner.
June 8, 1917.