Jasper County Democrat, Volume 20, Number 43, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 August 1917 — HEALTHY SEED IS ESSENTIAL [ARTICLE]

HEALTHY SEED IS ESSENTIAL

For the Increased Production Urged for Next Year. Washington, D. C., August 24. — Sound, clean, healthy seed is the first requisite for the largely increased wheat crop which the United States department of agriculture hopes to see harvested next year. Whatever the source of supply farmers will find it to their advantage, says the department, to see that only good seed is planted. W’hat has been said is equally true of seed for the rye crop which the department 'hopes to see much larger than usual next year. If a farmer hafi seed from his own crop which is satisfactory so far as variety and general condition are concerned, he should, lose no time in getting it into shape for storage until planting time. The fanning mill is the farmer’s best friend in this task. The farmer, by all means should have such a mill and if 'he has not and is unable to obtain one, should borrow or rent his neighbor’s mill, or several farmers can join in buying one. A fanning mill removes weed seeds, smut and shriveled grain and leaves only plump kernels, practically every one of which may be depended upon to produce a thrifty plant. After it is cleaned, however, the seed should be treated in order that the smut may be prevented. Scab is less likely to be prevented by seed treatment, but the use of the fanning mill will assist materially in improving the crop grown from seed known to have contained scabby kernels. If the farmer is dependent on outside sources for his seed he should buy from his neighbor if possible so that he may be more to get seed well adapted to his conditions. It is advisable to buy as soon after harvest as possible as at this time prices are likely to be lowest. If the farmer delays, his neighbors may dispose of all their surplus grain and he may be forced to plant seed grown under conditions radically different from his own. If the farmer .patronizes a seedsman he should insist on getting seed grown as near his section as possible. If seed is affected by diseases, careful inspection will usually disclose the fact. The presence of stinking smut in wheat is indicated by the odor and the presence of scab by the appearance of the kernels. Purchased seed Should, of course, be cleaned and treated for the destruction of the spores of ►

disease producing fungi, if the examination shows this to be necessary. In choosing varieties of wheat the farmer should be guided by the experiences of his neighbors and the advice of his state experiment station. This is true also of rye. but there are available fewer varieties of rye than of wheat. The stations can ifurnish comparative statistics -on the yields and behavior of a number of varieties of the two cereals. After the grain farmer has procured a supply of satisfactory seed he should store it carefully so that it will keep in good condition and will be safe from the depredations of rats, mice and insects. Bins which are supposedly rat-proof are available on practically all farms and it will pay farmers to see that they are kept in good condition to keep out the rodents.