1294 



Rural School Leaflbt 



being exposed to winter's cole); in faet, it is better if they can be stored 

 in such a way that they a,rc never exposed to very low temperature, 

 although thoroughly dried corn is i)robaljly not much injured by low 

 temjjcrature. 



Many ears of corn handled in tlic way the average fanner handles 

 them will not furnisli seeds that germinate at all. Even among those 

 ears that have been most carefully dried and cared for, ears are often 

 found having no seeds that germinate. It therefore becomes imj^ortant 

 that the fanner should ascertain the germinating quality of his seed 

 even though it has been carefully selected and stored. 



Experience teaches that the best results are secured 

 by the use of seed that has been carefully selected 

 for a scries of years with reference to the locality in 

 which iL is to be grown. If, therefore, the farmer 

 is to have tb.e vcr^' best seed, he will ]orobably 

 have to grow and care for it himself. Although 

 there are seedsmen who are now making a specialty 

 of corn, who can furnish seed of most excellent 

 quality for certain localities, the difficulty is that 

 these seedsmen in their eagerness to sell will recom- 

 mend the seed that is known to be excellent for 

 Illinois for planting in New York or Maine. The 

 chances are that seed grown in New York or Maine 

 would be better for these sections. 



Although corn is not so much at home in New 

 York as in some other States, yet the fact remains 

 that often on many New York soils the corn plant 

 will produce a larger amount of good palatable 

 animal food per acre or per a given amount of labor 

 expense than almost any other crop. 

 Because of its large succulent stalks it is not so easy to cure and 

 save corn by drying as some of the finer grasses. Owing to this fact 

 the making of silage has come to be recognized as one of the best ways 

 of utilizing the corn crop. It is found to be more economical both as 

 to labor and as to waste to put the crop into the silo at harvest time rather 

 than to handle it in other ways. Most animals require more or less 

 succulent food during the winter, and silage meets this reqtiirement. 

 Properly made silage when judiciously fed is one of the mo.st palatable, 

 healthful, and profitable cattle feeds. 



Every normal pcrsr)n should feel an earnest desire to leave the world 

 morally, intellectually, and physically better than it was when he came 

 into it. To give to the world or to a community a variety of farm crop 



Dent corn plant 



