Bemidji Daily Pioneer Newspaper, April 5, 1912, Page 4

v How to lect Best Seed Corn By PROF. R. A. MOORE : Wisconsin College of Agriculture Good and Bad Types of Kernels. The Four Kernels at the Left Are of the Proper Types to Choose. Each of the Others Is Faulty and an Ear Containing Such Kernels Should Not Be Chosen for Seed. The first point in judging seed corn 18 to determine its trueness to the type or breed characteristics. There are reeds of corn, like breeds of cattle, which have peculiar colors or forms which distinguish them; as for in- stance, the Silver King is a white va- wiety and the Golden Glow a yellow wariety. It is- difficult to distinguish between breeds of the same color, but this may be learned by experience §n handling corn of different breeds. In pure corn of any breed there are mertain marks which can be easily ¥ecognized. The ideal ear ig cylindrical, conform- ing to the standard for the variety and Rot crooked or too tapering. It is as difficult' to find an ear of eorn perfect in shape as it is to find eows, horses and sheep with perfect forms. The shape of ears of the dif- Berent varieties of corn differ as widely as the shape and form of t&e Qifferent pure breeds of cattle. Each class and variety has a characteristic shape peculiar to itself. For example, @ilver King corn has an ear of me- dium length, large in circumference, while the Golden Glow has an ear con- siderably shorter and finer in cob and general conformation. The most desirably shaped ear is eylindrical from butt to tip. Where wars are inclined to taper, it will be moticed that two or four rows, as a rule, are dropped near the middle of ghe ear. In scoring corn, take in‘o oonsideration the soil and climatic con- ditlons in which the corn is grown. The shape of a desirable ear for cen- ral Illinois would differ in many re- ppects from the shape most desirable for Wisconsin. The shorter growing season in Wisconsin demands a shal- fower kernel and a smaller ear to en- pble the corn to mature in a short Jpeason. “ The color of the grain should be uni- form and true to the color standard Yor the variety, free from missing or discolored kernels. * The color of the cob should be a pright cherry red for yellow corn and pure white for white corn. The color of the corn varies with the breed. The Silver King corn has # cream color, while the Boone Coun- ty White has a pearly white color. Where these shades predominate they become characteristic of the breeds. Yellow breeds vary slightly in color from a pale yellow to a deep orange, pnd can only be known by a thorough fcquaintance. A bright cherry red cob denotes hezlth and vigor in corn and a pale or I dark red . cob denotes lack of constitu- tion or vitality. The white corn cobs should be a glistening white and mot a dead pale color. Some farmers prefer to grow corn of certain -colors. From tests made by breeders of corn, and by experiment stations, it has been found that im general, color makes no difference so far as feeding value is concerned, and It is merely a matter of choice of the prower as to the color or corn he de- Bires. Market condition means general ex- cellence and the degree of ripeness or maturity. Corn thatshows a tendency to be loose on the cob with wide ppaces between the kernelg should be Beored off severely under market con- dition. ‘When corn is scored from the feed- er’s’ standpoint it is not cut so severe- Jy as from the grower’s or seedsman’s # standpoint. When we consider that a bushel of corn plants about six acres and realize the importance to be at- tached to uniformity of stand we see the value of considering the market condition from the grower’s standpoint In a critical way. Corn will gradually. become accus- tomed to its surroundings and will ad- just itself to varying conditions: of soil end climate. By selecting those ears for seed that show good market con- dition, even if there be but a few in the entire field, the earliness of the corn can be improved materially. The kernels should extend over the tip .of the ear in regular rows, and be uniform in size and shape. They should extend over the-butt of the ear in reg- ular rows and be well developed and uniform. A perfect tip has a central kernel called the cap, which is completely surrounded with uniform kernels. A perfect tip is rarely found, but those which come nearest to the ideal should -"e chosen; provided it is not at the éx- ense of other more important factors. THE BEMIDJI DAILY PIONEER The tip kernels are likely to be fiinty, and of a pop corn shape, which is un- desirable in dent corn. If bare tips are noticeable to quite an extent throughout the field, it may be due to the fact that the silks representing ‘were too late to receive the pollen to fertilize them. If ears having defec- tive tips are used for seed, their un- desirable characters will soon become Dermanent. Open tips usually accom- bany shallow and irregular kernels on | the ear which makes the kernels on that part of the ear undesirablé’ for planting, on account of lack of uni- formity. In judging the character of the butt the rows come over towards the shank is important. If the corn comes in too close, the ears may drop off the stalk quring the ripening and not ful- ly mature. All ears which have butts improperly filled should be rejected. Corn breeders in desiring to get a large proportion of corn to the cob, often choose ears with too small an at- tachment for the shank. The butt and the tip kernels are rejected for plant- ing, because they are more likely to be mixed with other varieties and owing to their peculiar formation, they are not uniform, and interfere in the planting. They also seem weaker in germination and are more tardy in growth than kernels from the middle parts of the ear. The Store That the tip kernels which were formed last || of an ear of corn, the way in which | | Types of Good Ears. In Choosing Seed Corn, Select Ears as Near the Shape of Those Shown Here as l’m:ible7 Kernels should be of perfect wedge shape, narrcwer or wider at the point, according to the variety characteris- tics. i They should be uniform in shape, i size and color and true to the type or variety. The crown or big end of the i kernel should be such that the edges 1 of the kernels slope from tip to crown. The tip of the kernel, which is the — part attached to' the cob and contains the germ is rich in protein and ofl and of the highest feeding value, For | this reason a plump tip usually indi- .| cates vitality. The kernels on the cob may be ir- regular, being deeper at the butt than at' the tip. This makes ‘the kernels non-uniform in size and renders the corn almost wholly unfit for seed. No machine will plant kernels of this type |80 as to get a uniform stand. {should be discarded, no matter how well the outside of the ear may look. | At least 85 per cent. of the oil in the | kernel is in the germ, hence corn | with well formed :germs is desirable. Tests by the Illinois experiment sta- tion show that the oil in corn may vary from 23, to 7% per cent. and protein from 614 to 16 per cent. If seed corn contains a large amount of protein and oil the crop grown from this seed will be high in these desir- able features. | Standard measurements for corn | produced in northern, middle "and Length, northern section 8 to 9 inches, | central, 8% to 914 inches, southern 814 ; to 9% inches. Long ears are objection- { able because they usually have poor butts and ‘tips, shallow kernels and hence a low per cent. of grain to the jear. In general the circumference should be three-fourths the length. | The standards for various sections in Best at All Times It 1s'the Big Department Store of Bemidji. It is the store There is no season of the year when this store of the masses. is not full of interesting things at interesting prices. A good store 1s known by its dealings. We do not claim perfection, but where mistakes occur we are anxious to rectify them. southern Wisconsin, are as follows: | | i FRIDAY APRIL 5, 1912, Wiscongin are: Northern 6 1o o4 inches, central 6% to 7 inches, south ern 7 to 7% inches. A GOOD TIME TO GET BUSY. Protect yourself and family against the effects of exposure. Keep your system working right with Tubbs Bilious .Man’s Friend. Much sickness avoided through keeping fit, good natured and active. City Drug Kernels with weak or shriveled tips | Store. T. BEAUDETTE Merchant Tailor Ladies’ and Gents' Suits to Order. 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