Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 254, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 October 1913 — HOME GROWN SEED CORN IS THE BEST [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

HOME GROWN SEED CORN IS THE BEST

By A. T. Wlancko,

Department of Bolls and Crops, Purdue University Ex-

* - perlment Station. Purdue University Agricultural Extension.

The ideal way to secure good seed corn is to produce it at home and select and store it some time before the first "heavy frost. No purchased corn can be as well adapted to the home conditions as that which may bfe developed on one’s own farm, provided, of course, that one starts with a good variety. Corn is more sensitive to changed conditions than any other crop. The main who secures a good variety and then* gives it careful attention, year after year, planting only the best ears out of the best part of the crop, has a much better chance of success than the man who depends upon purchased seed, unless, perhaps, in a case where a neighbor upon whom he can always depend, is giving special attention to the production of good seed. By dividing the seed corn selected each year into two lots, putting the’ finest bushel or so of ears by themselves, and planting them in a small field by themselves, or on the side of a good field where there is protection from contamination from other varieties in neighbors’ fields, and then selecting seed from this,, one can surely and quickly further improve the variety for hie particular conditions. Many of the best corn growers of the state are doing this , and their methods are well worth copying. It may further be said that the highest yielding and finest strains of corn in the state have been developed in this way. The best way to select seed corn is soon after the crop has matured and it should be selected in the field, where the character of the plant and the conditions of growth can be seen. Rather snort, strong stalks growing under normal conditions of stand should be preferred. Almost any kind of a plant can produce a good ear if there are no others near it, but it takes a good plant to produce a good ear when there are no gaps in the Btand, and the characteristics of such a plant will be inherited by the ear it produces. Only well matured ears that are held in good position on clean, thrifty looking stalks that stand up well and have a good leaf development should be selected. There is a limit to the size of ear that can be expected to ripen in an average season in a given locality. Many farmers make the* mistake of trying to .raise com that is really too large and. too late for their conditions. By selecting

only solid, well matured ears there to no danger of getting the variety too large or too late. The ears selected should be rather cylindrical in shape, strong and symmetrically developed, but not too thick. An ear having three inches of circumference for every four inches of length is about right The rows of kernels should be straight and the kernels themselves uniform in size and shape. The indentation should be rather rough, but not so rough as to Incline the kernels to chafflness. The seed ears should always be a little rougher than the average of the crop, otherwise the variety will become smoother each year and the kernels shallower. The dent should run squarely across the kernels and should have no Bharp or pointed margins. In the accompanying illustration ear No. 1 is of excellent type, ear No. 2 is too tapering, ear No. 3 is too thick, ear No. 4 is too thin, while ear No. 6 is weak near the butt j selected ears as they come from the field should be at once .stored in a dry' well ventilated place in such a way that there will be a free circulation of air around each ear. The method of storing is not Important so long as air can pass freely among the ears. Much com that is intended for seed is injured by Improper methods of storing and drying. It is most liable to injury during the first month or six weeks after husking. The outside of the ear may be dry and hard, but the cob and points of kernels may still contain much excess of moisture, and it is this which so easily causes molding, fermenting or injury from freezing. The best seed com is that which matures and dries naturally. No farmer should attempt to raise a variety of corn that will not mature and dry out naturally. Cora that needs artificial help in drying in an average season is not suited to the local conditions. Fire drying should not be necessary, except under exceptionally unfavorable conditions, as in an unusually short season. However, the com fnust be guarded against frost and whepfe fire drying must be resorted to, the heat should be applied slowly and good ventilation must be provided so as to let the moisture escape and thus prevent fermentation or molding. Aft er it is perfectly dry, seed corn will stand any amount of cold weather, but it must be protected from dampness.

Good and Bad Types of Seed Corn.