Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1918-04-26
MUCH SEED CORN
LOW IN VITALITY
Seed Testing Campaign Surpris.
ing in Its Results
Some Ears Test But Eight Per Cent
Extension Service Expert Locates
1000 Bushels Available for Seed.

The seed testing campaign which
the school children and teachers are
conducting in cooperation with the
school superintendent and Farm Blu
reau is progressing in many parts OF
Windham county. f.. C. Hayward of
the Vermont extension service is as
sisting the Farm Bureau. During the
past week he has given seed testing
demonstrations before the teachers of
Putney, Westminster, Dummerston,
Brattlcboro, Vernon, Gulford, Halifax
and Marlboro. These demonstrations
have been arranged by the school SUI
perintendcnts at convenient points
throughout their districts. Mr.. Hay
ward is now in Bellows Falls assisting
Supt. McGinns in seed testing demon
STATIONS in his district. In Vernon
the school children are already at
work testing seed for their parents.
Samples of flint corn, sweet corn, soy
beans, oats, etc, have been started
and results will be available very soon.
There is large amount of flint corn
available for seed purposes in Wind
ham county. Under supervision of the
Farm Bureau samples have been taken
from % farms where fair sized lots are
offered for sale. These samples have
been sent to Burlington for germina-
ton tests and the results of these
tests are beginning to come back. 1t
has been great surprise to many to
find how low vitality some of this seed
has. A few lots test above 90 per cent,
but many of them run below so per
cent and very frequently as low as 90
per cent. One large lot of corn which
looked all right for seed purposes was
so poor that only per cent gcrminat-
ed. Another sample which was pur-
chased to send out of town for seed
purposes was tested and only three
ears out of II were fit for planting.
This seems to be very typical of all
seed corn this year and it is not safe
for any one to risk crop by plant.
ing corn which has not been tested.
In this connection this week s re-
port of County Agent A. w. Sweeton
to the director of county agents is of
interest. He says:
Mr.. Hayward has nearly completed
taking seed corn samples. In Dunn.
mcrston and Putney this week he has
located about 900 bushels which are
available for seed if the termination
iNol ID HtTp are Il rev
more scattering lots to take and we
will complete our canvass for seed corn.
During the week Mr. Hayward has
given seed testing demonstrations in
several places. On Thursday he met
with the teachers from Westminster,
Putncy, Dummcrston and Vernon at
tho Farm Bureau Office in Brattleboro.
On Friday he gave a similar demon
Sft.nt
Green River, the teachers of Halifax
and Guilford being present. We are
preparing window exhibits to place in
store windows about the county during
the week of April % to May 3, which
we will observe as "better seed week -
in Windham county. The teachers and
school children seem much interested
and one school in Vernon has already
begun the seed testing work. Samples
of fine corn, soy beans, sweet corn and
other crops have been brought in. This
seed testing work should be of much
value to the parents because no one can
afford to plant seed this year unless it
has been tested for termination. To
plant corn which has not been tested
invites poor Yields or the failure of
crops.
Allen p. Beach, of the Vermont ex-
tension service, spent two days in
Windham county and gave talks on
gardening at the schools in Saxtons
River and Bellows Falls, also at the
high school building in Brattleboro and
at the Hillside Farmers club IN West
BrattleborO. The two evening talks
were illustrated with lantern slides.
Attended a small meeting at F.. A.
Phelps 5, Brattleboro, to assist in max
ing arrangements for cooperative
spraying for this coming summer.
There continues to be large num-
Der of inquiries concerning the purchas-
ing of spring wheat seed, We are for
tunatc in having a good supply of seed
in Bratteboro and Bellows Falls and in
most of the adjoining towns.
The arrangements for the Vermont
National Bank Pig club are complete
and circulars have been mailed to all
the Pig club members in last year s
club. There seems to be considerable
interest and the applications are begin
ming to come in.