The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1923-08-31

e PRODUCERS NEWS
field knows that it is a tiresome task
More than one row Of stalks may be
observed when picking seed corn.
However, as much time as PosSIOIIe
should be given to STUDY Oh sCalA
conditions. The practical RUE 70 tOi7
low in picking seed corn IN the nelo
is to save ears which are OF me0lum
size, we'll matured, solid, and carried
on the stalk at a reasonable height.
Later on the ears may be gone over
for finer points. Of course no ear
should be saved which shows any signs
of mold. Neither should an ear be
saved from a stalk infested with DIS
ease of any kind.
In Montana It seems desirable to
pick for ears with moderately
smooth dent. ears with kernels which
are smooth, shiney and horny. A
rather broad, thick kernel seems to
be best in nearly all sections. The
kernel should carry its width well
toward the tin, for there is probably
no more serious weakness in seed corn
than the narrow, taperlng, snoe-peg
type of kernel. Ears carrying Kernels
OF this sort almost never have that
solid "heavy for its size" feeling which
characterizes ears with broad, thick
kernels, which carry their width we'll
toward the tip.
Storing And Curing The Seed
Too often seed corn is not taken
care of after picking. If the field Sc
lected seed corn is not stored in dry
well ventilated place, where it will not
freeze, it may as we'll be left in the
field until harvest time. The husked
ears should be stored the same day
that they are picked. A good storing
place for seed corn should have the
following essentials:
1. Dry.
2. Well ventilated.
3. Protected from sun and weather.
4. Temperature ABOVE freezing.
3. Free from mice.
6. Convenient for handling and
testing the seed.
Provided the windows and doors are
left open on all clear bright days dur
ing the fall the following are good.
1. Dry attic or spare room.
2. Dry cellar
3. Any dry, well ventilated build
ing.
All of the following places have so
often proved bad for the storing of
seed corn that they should be avoided.
1. Barn where there is livestock or
hay NOW above livestock.
2. Over oats or corn.
3. Damp cellar
A. Any damp or closed place.
5. Out in the open
The common practice of hanging
ears of seed corn in corn cribs or other
open buildings may obtain good venti
latiOn but it offers no protection
against freezing. Although corn con-
tanning less than 16 per cent of mOis-
ture is not readily injured by cold
weather, most corn contains more than
that amount of moisture in the fall.
Under certain conditions seed corn
may be stored in a dry basement
This practice should not be encour-
aged unless the ventilation is good
Frequently the ventilation of base
ment is poor and the humidity af the
air high, affording good conditions for
the growth of molds. There is prob
ably no better place to store seed corn
than a we'll ventilated room in the
house, provided the room temperature
does not fall below 26 degrees, F. A
desirable arrangement for the farmer
who saves large amount of seed corn
is to build a house especially for the
storing of seed corn.
Method OF Storing
The method of storing is of secOn-
Diary importance provided the place
is right. The method selected, how
ever, should provide a free circulation
of air on all sides of each ear. In
other words, no two ears should touch
nor should they lie fiat upon a board
or other surface. This is especially
important when the ears are selected
early and contain a large amount of
moisture. It is also important that
he seed be protected from mice and
ITS. A method which probably best
1eets both of these conditions is that
| O hanging the ears individually. 1t
i5safe to take down the ears when
TIN moisture content is less than Is
pelcent. Seed corn stored under good
con tions should be dry enough to
wltkand winter temperatures within
httylays after picking.
Arfcial heat is sometimes used for
dryln}seed corn where it is necessary
to dryt rapidly or where large guam
titles az handled. When heat is used,
it shoul be applied gradually and
Temperatures higher than 70 degrees
should b avoided Too rapid drying
will lnJu. the vitality Of re seed.
For smalluantities, however. such as
; will be nIded on individual farms,
ar drying 6 seed corn is satisfactory.
yire Hangers
g One OF tn cheapest, most cOnven-
lent and unsatisfactory hangers for
storing seed trn is the wire hanger
cut from el6tric-welded hog-tight
fencing. AS thhangers are cut from
the wire the log way, they may be
made any desire length. This wire
has OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES two inches
apart and horizotal strands four
inches apart, makiiy a 2 x 4 inch rec
tangular mash. Te wire is cut in
such a manner tina looking at the
! hanger filled with cSn and hanging
up, two ears are hun, in pairs oppo-
4 site each other, and eSh pair of ears
]. is four inches below \e other pair
+ The Vvi7n NOV no ont WA = ,oIJ oI,~o1