Baxter Springs news., 1918-02-15
IN SEEDS
UNDER BAN OF LAW
Production Committee Seeks to
Help Buyers. Names of
Farmers Having Seeds
to Be Listed

"Play safe. Buy early. Test your
Seeds"
This is the closing injunction Of a
report of the agricultural production
committee of the state council Of de-
fense, made public recently, and in
which persons who are asking exor-
bitant prices for seed are stamped as
profiteers. The committee makes
known in its report plan by which
it is hoped that much of this profiteer-
ing can be circumvented and the buy
ers of seed may be able to profit
thereby. The report follows:
Complaints have reached the coun-
Gil of defense of exhorbitant prices
demanded for corn, kafr and cane
seed. We feel that plain statement
of the seed situation in the state will
help to correct this unfortunate con-
dition.
The crops of corn, kafr and cane
in Kansas last year were below the
average both in quality and quantity.
Nevertheless the portion Of these
crops required for seed is compara-
lively so small the supplies available
for seed are perhaps ample in most
cases, for the needs Of the state. All
food is high and good seed should
command good price, but exhorbi-
tant prices are justified neither by en-
isting conditions nor patriotic motives
Such prices are profteering pure and
simple.
The agricultural production COM
mittee of the council Of defense has
listed the names of farmers with seed
for sale and is rapidly testing for
termination the hundreds of samples
submitted. This list will soon be
available to anyone wishing to secure
seed. Any prospective buyer can get
in touch promptly with hundreds Of
farmers with good seed for sale simp-
ly by advising the agricultural pro-
duction committee of his needs.
But seed should be secured without
further delay. Transportation is very
slow and the demand from other
states less fortunate in their seed
supplies suggests the wisdom Of quick
action on the part of our farmers in
taking care of their own needs.
Considering the high price Of sweet
sorghum seed, and the demand for
sweet sorghum seed outside of the
state, it is the recommendations of the
committee that the crop be planted
this year in rows and cultivated.
Practically as much feed can be pro-
duced where the crop is planted in
this way as where it is sown broad
cast and a large quantity Of seed will
be saved. In view also of the short
age of sweet sorghum seed, it is rec
commended that farmers considering
using this crop for feed purposes
plant a portion of their acreage to
sudan grass. Sudan grass, planted
on clean ground late in the spring
when the soil is warm at the rate Of
eight pounds to the acre, in rows
twenty-five inches apart, will produce
a heavy yield of excellent feed. Su-
dan grass seed is plentiful.
1t is strongly urged that purchas-
ers should make termination test Of
all seeds before planting. 1t is known
that much of this years crop and sor-
ghum seed is of low termination
power. Averages of all tests at the
laboratories of the agricultural col
lege show but 76 per cent germina-
bility for corn, which Of course means
that about 25 per cent will not grow.
termination tests of kafir show equal
ly poor results. Unusual conditions
are found this year with respect to
corn especially. One ear will show a
high percentage of germinability. An
other ear is dead. A dead seed ought
to be fed, not planted. The only way
to tell whether seed is dead or alive
is thru a termination test. The price
of farm crops this year is high. This
is not a year to run risks. Insure
against crop failure by planting seed
that will grow. Play safe. Buy early.
Test your seed.