Evening Republican, Volume 16, Number 93, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 April 1912 — Final Selection of the Seed [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Final Selection of the Seed

By C. O. CROMER.

Sadi nd Crop* Department, Perdu Unlreraity Agricultural Fipirimw* Statiw, Pnrdaa University Agricultural Exteaeioo

The wise fanner In providing seed corn for next season’s crop will begin in the fall preceding to select from the field the ears which most pearly approach his Ideal. Aside from type of ear, the seed, ear has certain characteristics as shown on the ptalk which are of considerable importance in their relation to the quality of seed. Experiments have shown that the best seed ear is produced on the well developed stalks. Experiments have also shown that the height ' of the ear from the ground and strength of the shank can be changed more or less by selecting ears having the desired qualities. However, all ears which are produced on desirable stalks are not desirable ears so far as type, shape and gtaeral characteristics of the ear Itself are concerned. Consequently a second or final selection of ears most he made. This means that a larger lot of corn should fee chosen in the fall than will be required to plant the crop. more time to nuke his selection and should do so before making the

mination test, as he can save the trouble and expense of testing a large number of undesirable ears as to type. To do this in the best possible manner, all the com should be laid out on a table or In some place where all the ears can be gone over. With the ideal ear in one hand, those which conform to the Ideal type as to shape of ear, character of kernel, maturity, etc., can be selected out to be put to the test for germination. This means that there will still need to be more com selected than Is required to plant the crop, as more or less will be discarded on account of poor germination In passing through the test Any ear which germinates less than, four out of five kernels should be discarded at once and thrown Into the feeding crib. Of coarse, it would be best if one could select only those ears which have a perfect germination. By giving this final critical selection of seed ears cartful attention the stand of com and general type of the crop can be greatly Improved and the returns will many t times ofw

Selecting Seed Corn.