Mexico weekly ledger., 1918-02-28
TEST YOUR SEED
CORN IS IMPORTANT
Grant MOrthland. Prominent Young
Farmer Of This county, Writes
Ledger on Conditions
GOOD SEED is SCARCE
Plenty Of Good Seed Corn Here, IL the
Farmer VIII Test it and Be Sure
Before He Plants

The following interesting article on
seed corn was handed US by Grant
Morthland, a prominent and pro-
gressive young farmer c. .his county.
He did not want his name used, but we
felt sure what he has to say would
carry more weight were the author
Of the article known. Mr.. Morthland's
article follows:
Farmersl Have you gotten your
seed corn yet? Are you sure it will
grow2 These are the questions that
should be paramount in the mind of
every farmer in the county.
After studying the seed corn situa-
tion very closely for thirty days, max
ing numerous tests, | am convinced
that most farmers do not realize how
scarce good seed really is. Good seed
corn that will test 80 per cent or bet
ter, probably never was SO scarce in
the history Of Audrain county as this
year. And if farmers do not give the
seed situation more consideration than
usual, there's going to be many an
acre in the country with poor stand.
firmly believe, though, that Au-
drain has a plenty and some to spare
of corn that will make good seed, if it
is worked out by testing and selecting
very closely, It's our duty to get ev-
cry ear that will grow; If we don't
need it ourselves there's 100000
of farmers that do need it and are
willing to pay good price for seed
they know will germinate. We are
counted we'll off, intact, Missouri is
not counted in the fifteen states where
the situation is serious. So, can you
imagine their predicament? If farm
ers will just try and relaize how Sc
rious it really is and get busy, don't
put it off till tomorrow or next day
or planting time everyone will find
plenty of corn.
If you have old corn, well and good.
If you have shock corn that was ma
tured and cut before the frost, well
and good. Do not buy seed if you can
possibly find it in your crop, because
too many must depend on this surplus
that home farmers have.
If you must go to the crib, be care
full. i have test cribs that apparently
look alright and they terminated
from 81 to II per cent on large sam
pies. This is not good enough to
plant when selected as usual.
Perhaps you will not be able to
make as high wages again this season
as testing your seed thoroughly.
Remember one bushel of shelled corn
will plant eight acres on the average,
Eight acres at thirty bushel per acre
is 240 bushels. 240 bushels at $t.50
per bushel is $3.50 - the amount that
depends on the termination power Of
that one bushel of corn.
Remember this, good nubbin that
will germinate 95 per cent is worth
more for seed than the best show cal
in Missouri, if its bad. We must use
rs per cent high-testing general rur
of corn in the Northern Corn Belt fol
seed, consequently we can't select We
ry closely.
If we are going to feed the world
we can do it only by producing maxi
mum crops. A maximum crop cal
only be produced by proper prepara
!: ton of seed bed, good stand of cor
and then well cultivated on our part
And then to be blessed with plenty o
i sunshine and moisture by the Ruler o
y 1.-The universe.
t ARE WE GoIG TO DO oUl
: PART?