Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 213, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 September 1917 — CONVENIENT WAYS FOR SELECTING SEED [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

CONVENIENT WAYS FOR SELECTING SEED

(By F. E. BALMER, State Leader of County Agents of Minnesota.) The corn grower can scarcely be too enthusiastic about gathering more seed corn than is apparently needed. One thing which tends to lessen a generous selection of seed consists in not providing some convenience for getting the corn easily and rapidly out of the field. For selecting seed corn on a small scale, a grain sack with a short, wide band connecting the top and bottom, so it may be conveniently carried over the shoulder, Is good for carrying corn. If desired, two satisfactory bags can be made from one grain sack by cutting it In two, making each bag Just half the length of the grain bag. Such a bag should be provided with a wide band sewed to opposite sides of the open end, so when carrying over the shoulder 4te mouth of the bag will hang about even with the waist. The bag may be made slightly more convenient by having a wire hoop about the top, which keeps it open and makes dropping the ears into it easier. By the use of such a bag one person can by steady work select and carry from a fairly good field from seven to ten bushels of well selected ears. At

the close of each half day be should properly string up the eoru, or arrange it for cutting. This method is irksome If large selections are to be made. A sledlike frame either on runners or low wheels narrow enough to go between two rows of coni and long enough to carry five or six bushel-size baskets or boxes, is a very convenient device for use in carrying the seed ears selected in the field. As this Is drawn through the field by a horse, one or two persons may select from as many as the four nearest rows or three persons may easily select from six rows. At the ends of the field the full baskets or boxes may be replaced by empty ones, or they may be dumped, to be gathered up. by a wagon at the close of euch half day or day. This device may break down occasional stalks of corn, varying with the amount of bent or twisted stalks, but the damage 1* more than paid for by the time saved. Such carrier makes possible a more rapid selection of the ears, and relieves the operators of carrying heavy bags of corn when all energy Is needed in judging the ears and the stalks for the selection.

SAVING SEED CORN FOR NEXT YEAR'S PLANTING.