324 Missouri Agricultural Report. 



barren stalks with the best of seed. This, of course, is done before 

 the tassel has developed, and at the same time are deiasseled all 

 undesirable stalks standing on the seed plot, whether it be a defect 

 in root system, leafage, long joint or set of ear on stalk. Emascu- 

 lation takes place with all stalks on the seed plot except those which 

 are capable of being used as desirable sires, and thus when husking 

 time comes it is surely known that every ear coming from a stalk 

 that was left entire comes from a most desirable parentage on both 

 sides. 



This, together with selection for a good sized, thick, uniform 

 grain, with extremely large, full, bright germ, and the elimination 

 of all the excessive crown starch beyond what is necessary for the 

 maintenance of a beautiful crown dent, is responsible for what I 

 have been able to accomplish in the way of producing capacity. 



HARVESTING. 



'There is not much to be said regarding the harvesting of corn 

 for commercial purposes, further than that it is, of course, essen- 

 tial that it be done when the crop is in good m.arketable condition 

 and that it be thoroughly cured before being assembled together in 

 large quantities. 



In the production of corn for its stover, however, there are 

 many ways of handling, and perhaps the siloing of it is the best. 

 With all that, nicely cured and properly fed, dry corn fodder is much 

 relished by many kinds of stock, and I use it for both cattle and 

 horses. 



Long ago I determined that it did not pay me to produce mer- 

 chantable corn and my choice corn fodder on the same ground at 

 the same time, or even to continue to attempt to do so. I prepare 

 my fodder field as the other corn fields are prepared, and wait until 

 about June 10th to plant. I plant four grains per hill, hills 40x42 

 inches, and the results are practically ideal. 



The corn cutting comes after all the early, warm fall ranis, that 

 so seriously damage early planted fodder, are over. It Is shocked 

 the last few days before frost in ideal condition, as our first killing 

 frost in my part of the State is pretty uniformly near October 1 1th. 



Prepared in this manner many of the stalks are barren, and 

 thus their entire substance is contained in the form of roughage. 

 Others have medium-sized ears to the extent of furnishing just the 

 right amount of corn ration to accompany the fodder. All that 

 remains necessary then to secure a perfectly balanced ration for 

 the stock is to feed the horses once a day a ration of wheat bran 



