Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-09-11
information On How
to Select Seed, Dry Il And
Store Il, Is Offered; Farm
ers Urged TO Save More
Than Enough For Own.
Use.
Hy JIG. Haney, Agricultural Exten.
sion Department, International Har.
vester Coz

skys'.r atrfsE' .r /. ESSLat H- MI "sH.E--. .-F...
There is no work more essential to
the future successful growing of corn
In this region than the saving Of seed.
This must be done as soon as the corn
is mature, and before a freeze. Those
who were fortunate enough to have
northern grown seed to plant last
spring should have corn that is prac-
tically mature September 10 to Is,
and from which!s,a good amount Of
seed could be selected. Select enough
for home planting and some to sell to
n%eighbors, as there will perhaps never
be a time Swhensthere is not an in
creasing demand for seed corn in the
northwest EACH spring. ~.
The past poor crop years and low
prices have emphasized that success
depends or a more diversified system
Of farming. and particularly on grow
ing feed for some live stock. There
Iis perhaps no other crop that will be
of greater value to the average farm
than. corn. The land is demanding a
cultivated rop to help subdue the
weeds and store moisture, and there
is no crop better than corn for feed
ing stock, especially cattle.
Those who have not grown corn
for any length Of time are not so
ready to realize the Importance of
carefully saving good seed from their
own farms It has been proven by re-
peated tests that there is no corn bet
ter suited to any farm than that
| which MAS been grown on that farm,
carefully selected. preserved and test
led before planting the next spring.
i Select Mature Seed.
Just as soon Ias there are \ few
ears beginning to show that they are
, ripe by the turning Of the husks, { a
half day or a day should be taken for
selecting enough seed for home plant
ing. This is the only time in the year
when 1t will be possible to go through
the field and select the earliest ma
turing ears from desirable stalks. Ar
! range a grain sack similar to. The
method that was used when grain
was seeded by hand, which admits OF
the sack being thrown over the Shout
der. Then by walking down between
the rows Nof corn the ears and talks
can be examined and only those ears
that are of proper size and shape, and
that grow on the heavy, leafy stalks,
should be selected. The ears should be
the largest that have matured early,
and should be borne on the stalk SUI
ficiently' high from the ground to ad-
nit of cutting the corn without losing
the ars. or husking them from the
stalks without having to bend too
much. They should not be TOO high
from the ground, not more than two
and a half to three feet. 1t is we'll to
notice that the ears areNnot borne on
tshanks that are too long or short. That
is.t the. stem. as it might be called,
from the 9 to the stalks should no,
be too long, nor should IL be too
heavy or toe weak. 1t is desirable tc
have the ears of corn hang down when
mature, Such ars are less apt to he
damaged by water collecting inside
inside on the. buck during rains.
1t will always be noticed in collect,
ing seed corn that the stalks thai
stand by themselves. that is. where
\ there is but one stalk to a hill, will b
larger and as a general thing matur,
earlier than h ears in a full hill. I
must be considered that such ears
have had a greater advantage in tn,
way Of plant food. moisture n sun
shine>, and consequently have mad
more rapid growth. Seed from sucl
1Stalks when planted in q thick SAM
might not do as. we'll as an a from
a full hill. Consequently it would b.
4 desirabletto to, have ears from a full hill
rather than from stalks which grow
by themselves. IL q
Save All Seed You Can Handle.
tAs a general practice, it is advisable
to select about three times as muc1
seed in the fall as you could expect t
need the next spring. This will admi
Of culling the seed rather closely an.
throwing out the undesirable ears. I
will also admit of saving OVERTHROW
year to- yea some, OF the good see,
SO that in case We should have an un
4 EEr-' -L 80 >N q"