The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1918-01-28
THIS YEARS SEED
SUPPLY STARTLING
Seed Corn Damaged by Extreme Winter.
Farmers Who Have Ample Sup
ply Should Help Others.

Because OF early frost and extreme
winter, tho seed situation IS startling
! In this State. which fact has prompted
Prof. + W. Stenple. OF tho agricultural
department OF tho West Virginia Uni
verstty. to Issue tho Following state
| ment, asking that all farmers work IN
co-opcration to assist the others by sup
plying them with seed:
Not for long time has tho farmer
| been moro urgently called upon 10 pro-
duce largo crops than he now Is. and
| this in the face OF unusual difficulties
] The ship builder, the coal miner, the
| steel worker, and even the soldier him
| self, shall never point TO tho farmer as
| in any way lacking courage and patriot
ism 10 meet the issue But. II the farm
or does his whole part and his very
| best, he cannot afford to lose any time
| in getting seed for this spring.
Last spring. in West Virginia, Just at
! the last minute, there WAS q great
scramblinS to get seed. Buckwhcat, SOY
| beans soup beans, potatoes-aIl "ere
apparently very scarce, and there Is no
doubt that many did not seed nearly AS
much as they would If seed had been
plentiful. THIS year we know In time
there Is need for unusual effort, so let
no farmer find himself at the last mo-
mont without plenty or all sorts OF
seed And II you arc n patriotic farmer
and have more seed than you need for
! yourself, announce tho fact through
your county paper and 70 your county
agent, so that those who have not may
| set Of you.
Tho real seed problem. though, for
the whole United States IS that Of corn.
In September, before much Of the corn
had ripcned, heavy frost killed,
throughout large part OF the country,
immense quantities of corn. In Il re-
! cent issue Of the Breeders Gazette an
| Ohio writer says in speaking Of ger
minating several lots Of corn, zone lot
| terminated IS per cent, one about 46
per cont. and another 81 per cent. Some
showed no termination at all. and some
up TO as high as SO and Is per cent"
This was on sound corn. The low ger
mlnation evidently was due 10 freezing
in storage The reports come from
| Ohio Indiana Illinois and al! the other
! States in the corn belt that there Is
going TO be trouble 10 got out 4 full
| crop. There arc places In this State
where corn matured. Let tho West Viz
ginIa fdrmcr keep all he can for seed.
! He will havo to help seed other States.
| In my office there is now an inquiry
from an Ohio scotsman for the names
! Of West Virginia growers who have
seed for salo. This is the first appeal.
| There will be many more. West Viz
! ginta is doing her part with coal. She
is trying TO feed herself. Now she has
another big chance. DO not fall TO make
! the best Of II.
But the West Virginia farmer must
not think that oil tho corn in tho State
will grow. In the corn shown in the
shows this fall md winter there Is
every indication that much will not
grow. Every car OF corn planted this
spring should be tested; otherwise,
thcre will be a great waste OF labor.
| time, and corn that would have done
for feed. Your county agent will glad
ly show you how to test your seed corn.