Show 7 47 I J Jr 1 r c 1 How OW the Farmer Cnn Can Double His Great Crest American Crop 4 Corn planting lanting time The United States this year will wUl have over acres planted panted to this king of crops For this enormous acreage I. I bushels of seed will wUl be bo required is given Probably but little thought by the average farmer to the germinating germin I r quality of the seed used for he be has so long been accustomed to getting getting get get- I ting a stand under Ider ordinarily favOrable favorable favor favOr- able abe conditions varying from 60 to 85 I per cent that many have come to think a more complete compete stand impost t t. sible Yet experiments have shown f that barring unfavorable weather at planting panting time the work worle of grubs wireworms wireworms wireworms wire- wire worms and the like there is no reason reason rea rea- son why a stand of corn com should be less than 95 95 per cent Of recent years however however how how- 1 ever conditions have much improved and never before has there been such 1 a demand for seed corn of high vital vital- ity Some of our best farmers are beginning beginning beginning be be- ginning to realize that one of the greatest great great- greatest est factors in profitable corn production tion is the use of seed which will show t a high per of germination I If each corn grower would give a little lit lit- II tIe tle time during the early spring to the testing of the seed the vitality of each Ti individual ear of corn intended for planting could be readily determined The poor ears could then be discarded I and the millions of bushels bushes of seed 4 V corn which fail fall to grow each spring could be very profitably converted into into in in- to pork and beef Of the bushels bushes of seed corn com which will be planted panted this year it is almost certain that from two to three million bushels or nearly neary 20 per cent of the corn first planted panted will win fail fall to grow as a result of the low ow vitality of the seed Thousands Thousands Thousands Thou- Thou sands of acres will wUl have to be replanted replant replant- ed either In their entirety or In part and many thousands more will wUl grow to maturity with an imperfect stand r h 1 J I 4 n-J n I I J k k ETi c r l TESTING RACK A It seems Incredible of realization 4 that the the average yield of corn in the United States StateS' In 1905 when the total I production was the largest in our history his his- f tory was only ony bushels bushes of shelled I corn com per acre It is still stin more more- surprising sur sur- to know that the average production pro pro- I per acre is practically the same to-day to as it was forty years ago In fact the average yield per acre for forthe the ten years from 1866 1806 to 1875 was 2607 bushels bushelS' as compared with bushels bushes for the ten years from 1896 to toI o I 1905 While there are several rea rea- 1 there any nay corn growers who can not produce the equivalent of at least two such ears to every hill How many grow 80 bushels of shelled corn per acre The time required to test individual ears for vitality Is very small when it itIs itis Is considered that 12 or 15 ears will I furnish enough seed to plant pant one acre Experiments have shown that If a few kernels preferably six are taken from different parts of an ear of corn cornand cornand cornand and all an are re found to germinate well wen well that is to produce good healthy sprouts practically all of the tho kernels on that ear will wUl likewise show strong vitality On the other hand If the tho part of all of i the kernels tested fail fall to germinate or show only weak sprouts the proportion proportion proportion tion will wUl be the same for fer all an of the kernels kernes ker ker- ads nels on such ears And the experienced corn grower will be not a little surprised surprised sur sur- to find many a fine looking ear of corn among his selected seed the kernels of which will not sprout at all Better Now Than Not at All AH Germination tests should be made five or six weeks before planting time but even if It is necessary to stop the plow in the field it is far more profitable profitable profi profi- table to have a a. good stand of corn on 19 acres than it is to have a poor stand standon on 20 acres thereby saving the time and labor abor necessary to prepare the ground and to plant and cultivate the additional acre Yet many farmers are every year planting panting and cultivating 3 or 4 acres in every 20 20 for which they receive comparatively no returns In making the tests it is essential that each ear tested should be given a number and all kernels taken there there- from given a corresponding number so that after the tests the faulty ears may be thrown out Many l ot- ot germinating boxes and methods for tor testing testing- seed corn com have ave been described in various publications but the Department of Agriculture has dc a simple box which Is believed believed believed be be- to combine most of the advantages advantages and give good results In the hinds hands of almost any operator The box would woud be about 1 or 2 inches deep Inside and the length and width such suchs ns Cs s to suit the needs of the individual farmer but it should shoud not be made wa wa- ter Instead of filling the box with soil or sawdust as is commonly recommended the seed bed bod is made of heavy canton flannel or similar ma ma- teri l using two or three of cloth in the bottom of the box and andon andone andone on one or two of cloth for covering the kernels after the frame has been filled The cloth at the bottom bottom bot bot- tom torn should shoud be marked off into squares 2 inches each way and numbered eaChon each on one of which is isto to be filled with kernels kernels ker ker ker- nels from ears which are given a anum number number num num- ber corresponding to the square used A Very Simple Test For use first wet the cloth thoroughly thorough thorough- ly by soaking In water and then place the half cloth double thickness which has been marked in squares in the bot tom of th the germinating box The kernels kernels ker ker- nels nes from ear No 1 are then placed germ side up in square No 1 and so on When all of the squares have been filled fold fod the other end of the cloth carefully over the kernels If during the sampling the cloths have become dry sprinkle them well with water ate t I 1 1 L J o cover the box with a piece of glass gass or other tight material materia to prevent the evaporation of the water from the cloths and set the box aside for a afew afew afew few days to await the results of the test Where only ony a limited number of ears are to be tested a similar germinating germ mating apparatus may be made by using cloth between two dinner plates Ten inch plates will give ample ampe space for the tho testing of 18 or 20 ears at one one time It is important that the ears cars be bo numbered or arranged in ia the same definite order as the corresponding tests in the germinating box boL One of the most satisfactory methods is the use of a a rack as is generally used for drying seed corn This is generally a piece of 2 by 2 inch piece of pine from which extend on all four sid sides s long nails DaUs each of which is numbered After the kernels kernes from the first ear have been placed paced in square No 1 I J of the germinating box the ear Is shoved on nail No 1 of the drying rack and so on These racks can an then thea be if cr S WHAT MAKES THE TIlE CORN AVERAGE LOW t s jr j rn- rn rA r r j t tt rv t u It r f A SIMPLE GERMI GERMINATING BOX Sons lions for this the tho principal reason is probably carelessness in the use of seed seed of low vitality Each Ench Corn Ear Eat C The statement is made by officials of I the Department of Agriculture that s I while corn breeders have achieved J I marked success in the production of Improved types of corn during the last decade decade unless the farmers take better l y care care of their seed corn and test each ear separately prep preparatory to planting the chances are that the average yield f. f I of com corn per acre in the United States L 1 will not be materially increased In our principal growing corn States r corn is planted in hills 3 feet apart each way giving hills per acre 4 In most sections three stalks to the I hill hUl is considered a perfect stand in 1 some States two is the standard Yet K If each hill would produce but one I medium sized ear 6 or 7 inches in length and weighing a trifle more than 9 ounces the yield for each acre would woud be bushels the average yield per f. f c. c acre In the United States in 1905 y A single singe ear of corn to the hill the I size shown as A In the illustration r would give an average of bushels bushes to the acre a single singe ear shown as B would give 30 bushels per acre an anI anear I ear such as C would produce 40 I bushels per acre an ear such t i. i as D would yield 45 bushels per acre J. J while an ear like E which weighs a trifle less than a pound would yield 50 I o bushels bushes of shelled corn per acre countIng count count- S Ing lug only one such ear for each of the hills hUls There are however very 1 few farmers who raise as much as as' 50 f 3 bushels bushes of shelled corn com per acre Yet I every corn grower can probably produce pro pro- I r c. c duce many ears which are lar larger er than I that shown as E In the cut I I ling lag ing however both th ears D and E and andi i- i w 1 granting granting that every farmer could barvest bar har vest from each hill two such ears as I the the one ODe shown as C C. C an ear which i is less Jess than 8 84 inches long ong and weighs 8 80 ounces the yield would be bushels of shelled corn com per acre Are I fr 1 e r m I suspended in some suitable place and there need be no Dd fear of the ears being being be be- ing lug mixed while the germination test testis testis testis is in progress The kernels kernes in the testing box should shoud begin to germinate freely about about a a- bout the third or fourth day but the counting should shoud not be done until the sixth or seventh day or until most of the shoots or stems are from 1 to 1 Inches long This his p part rt of the testing must be done with considerable care and requires good judgment as kernels kernes ker ker- nels nes will wUl be found in all stages of f de de- de If the six kernels in anyone anyone any one square in the germinating box I show six good healthy sprouts the ear which they represent should be taken for s seed ed There will also aso be cases in which all aU six kernels have germinated but will be lacking in vigor While these kernels kernes might produce a good goodear ear of corn the chances are that they will never develop or else will produce but a barr barren n stalk It is only necessary to remember that all ears showing dead kern kernels s or weak and poorly dev developed developed devel devel- loped l- l sprouts must be discarded and only ony those used for seed in which every kernel tested has given a good healthy sprout The ears ears ears' which have a perfect germination are now ready to be butted and tipped and shelled for planting In order to insure insure insure in in- sure further uniformity in planting it itIs itis itis Is advisable to sort the ears before planting planting- into two or three grades des according ac according ac ac- ac cording to the sIne of f the kernels leernes This grading may also be done by screening if more convenient Remarkable Results of Government Tests The Department of Agriculture recently recently recently re re- re- re made tests of seed corn furnished fur fur- fished by farmers in the corn producIng producing producing ing States and of tested ears 1906 or the star startling tung percentage of more than one half were unfit for seed These samples sampes were taken taleen from ears picked for seed seed by good careful farmers far far- morn mers and are evidently much above the average The average germination of the 1906 poor ears was only per cent while the average germination germina tion of both the good and the poor ears the seeds of which would woud ordinarily ordin ordin- arlly have been used for planting had hadnot hadnot hadnot not these tests been made was per cent showing that per cent was gained by discarding ears of low vitality allty Granting however that the J samples tested are representative of the present supply of seed corn the testing of every ear and the subsequent rejection of poor ears will increase the stand per cent This increased stand would mean an increased yield of bushels bushes with a value of calculated on the basis COMMON DINNER PLATE FOR r-DR SEED TESTERS of the average yield and price for the thelast thelast thelast last ten tea years A full fun description of how bow to make tests is found in Farmers Bulletin No by J. J W. W T. T Duvel Duve which can be had from Members of Congress or the Secretary of Agriculture r D oot E CA CAN NOT YOU GROW TWO EARS LIKE E E TO EACH CORNHILL From Farming A BUNCH OV cp- FINE SEED POOR SMUTTY SEED |