Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-10-25
bow to seleet Seed corn

en- loses a valuable price that his work
would have won for him If he had kept
his record properly.
How to Select Seed Corn
All seed corn should be selected While
on the stalks in the field rms Is lLe
only vay we have of knowing the type
~ nIantS from which the ears come II
has long since been recognized IacI
tbst nroiific corn could be more prohta-
bIy grown in the south than the single
eared varieties Since all selection
should be made with the idea OF IN
creasing the yield, and since the hIsn
est welding stalks are those when
produce more than one ear each' oliy
ears from these productive STALKS sIlouIu
he selected. Probably two ears per
stalk is the standard the breeder snould
establish. 80
As a result of the long growing sea
SON in the south, the stalks develop
rapidIy and as a rule do so at the SA-
pense of the grain. therefore; lnS
faIIest. rankest growing plants should
lie rejected No plant should be con-
sidered however, that mas not Hdue
vigorous and stocky growth and is not
al least of medium height Likewise,
no selections should be made from
stalks that produce less than two ears
which should be about the mlddle or
slightly below the middle OF the Stalk.
All stalks that grew rank, perhaps as
\ result of increased food or moisture,
or skins" or a poor stand of surround
ing plants, should be rejected regard
less of the excellent qualities they may
appear TO have. Experience teaches
mat these characteristics are the re-
suit of environment and are not hkely
to reproduce themselves.
Harvesting the seed ears is frequent
Iy done by passing through the held
with A bag into which the selected ears
are placed. This is done before the
general harvesting OF the crop. HOW
ever, both the general crop ana Ine
ears from the selected plants may be
!, ted at
be snapped from the stalks and thrown
directly in the wagon, while covered
barrel or box may be placed IN the
wagon and all the ears from the select
"a plants can be placed in these. The
cover prevents undesirable ears from
accidentally falling into the receptacle.
when plant produces more than
one ear. which one should be chosen?
If all of the ears are well developed,
there should be very little difference in
their reproducing capacity. Usually the
uupermost ear will be better developed
than the lower ones, due to the greater
nutrition il has received just before ma
turing. II only one ear is to be saved
from the stalk, the better one Will OF
course. be taken. However, the lower
one. if il possesses no inferior quail
ties, would be just as good for seed
purposes. All of the ears selected
should be attached to the stalk by
shank four or five inches long and rajh-
er small. This type of shank usually
,veakens sufficiently for the points of
the ears to turn down, thus letting the
shuck act as protection against water
entering the tip and causing the grains
10 rot. Hanging ears are also less dam
aged by birds.
Tips of ears should be we'll covered
with shuck, since this covering is great
protection from insects, especially the
corn weevil AS a rule the unchanged
ears found in a crib late i'm the season
are those that are tightly covered at
the tips with the shuck
Many are inclined to select ears that
are too large. This is very natural, be-
cause everyone likes large ears of corn
better than small ones. ouy 70 Is yield
per acre rather than large ears that
determine proht Two small ears per
stalk of six ounces each will make a
larger yield than one large ten-ounce
ear per stalk. Our southern prolific
corn has small ears which is considered
one OF the principal objections to this
type of corn. 1t would be well to breed
up the size of ear, il possible, but extra
large ears should be examined with
suspicion for they are usually produced
with corresponding sacrifice in total
yield OF grain per stalk.
The ears Of corn that arelikely to
give best results are those whose butt
diamaters are carried well towards the
tip. IN other words, the ear should
be about the same size for a consider
able portion of its length. 1t is not pos
sible TO secure this in all the prolific
varieties CT corn, however for some of
ear. For show purposes. the long CYL
iudrincal ears with kernels in straight
rows growing well over the tips and
butts are most desirable, but these are
fancy points that should be given mi
nor consideration, since they are diff
cult TO combine with high yield per
acre.
II is always desirable to have corn
with kernels and hobbs of uniform color
When two or more colors are found in
the sa.ne field, il is positive evidence
of impurity of mixture of varieties and
Immediate selections should be made to
avoid this mixture the next year.
The current belief that yellow corn
from red cObbs is better for feeding
purposes than white corn has no foun-
dation on which such belief can be
sGbstantiated. 1t is a fact, however
that the hard, fiinty kernels of any dent
corn are best for feeding purposes. since
they contain more protein. They are
also more resistant to the attack of
the corn weevil, and for these reasons
should be preferred to the softer type
Of kernels.
The Leading Varieties of Big-BoIled
Cotton
e. e. A. Hanceviile. Ala. writes: 1
would like 20 know the name OF the largest
boiled cotton grown and characteristics Of
Is ant Iffr buH r7fa-