DAIRY AND SEED IMPROVEMENT MEETINGS. 279 



Can the present yield and quality of the crop be increased? 



It is perfectly evident to any one who is interested in crop 

 production that there is a wide variation in the yields of the 

 dififerent varieties of grain, or even in the same variety, under 

 different conditions lof care and culture. In determining the 

 yields, there must be a consideration of the season, soils, 

 manures, fertilizer, cultivation, and the quality of the seed. 



Next to soil and cHmate, 'good seed is the most necessary 

 factor to successful crop improvement and successful agricul- 

 ture. A soil deficient in any of the plant foods may have 

 them supplied in manures and fertilizers. It may have its phy- 

 sical properties so improved as to allow the maximum crop to 

 be raised An unfavorable climate may have its ill effect miti- 

 gated to a great extent by location, drainage, etc. But unless 

 the farmer plants seeds of a good germiinating quality and true 

 to name, his efforts will end in failure and disappointment, so 

 far as .gaining a livelihood from his occupation is concerned, 

 to say nothing o'f hlis chance for profit. 



It should be the desire of every farmer to plant good seed, 

 90 far as the common judgment can determine by external ap- 

 pearance. The best seeds are ithose which are large, plump, 

 and heavy, which look bright, and which do not have a musty 

 odor, nor a dry, ibrittle feeling when stirred with the hand. 



Such seed's are likely to be fresh and to germinate promptly. 

 Seeds of cereals will have an additional value if it is definitely 

 known that they are free from spores which cause smuts. Any 

 grower may follow these few suggestions in selecting his seed, 

 and not only improve the yield of his crop but the quality as 

 well. The operation of a properly adjusted fanning mill, a 

 home-made germimator, and the exercise of a little judgment 

 are all that is necessary. 



Of course, there are other qualities which are of greater 

 importance in determining plant values than ttiose shown by 

 the external appearance o'f the seed, such as those involved 

 in heredity and which cannot lalways be determined by the out- 

 ward appearance of the seed. Seeds are of but little value, 

 unless they will transmit the valuable qualities of their ances- 

 try to their progeny. This is not always an easy matter to de- 

 termine, as much depends upon whether valuable qualities of 

 the plants from which the seeds are reared have been fixed or 



