4 THE SEED-CORN SITUATION. 



• normal corn crop. In large portions of these States no corn was 

 produced and no acclimated and well-adapted seed exists except very 

 insufficient quantities held over from the previous season. 



GENERAL SEED-CORN SITUATION IN THE SPRING OE 1912. 



A very serious situation arises when, at planting time, fanners 

 find that their corn will not germinate well — that it is unfit for seed. 

 In the spring of 1912 the farmers throughout the greater portion of 

 several of the leading corn States found themselves in this costl}^ 

 predicament, which is exceedinglv critical, because it prevails over 

 such large areas of the principal corn-producing States. 



In 1911 summer droughts were quite general throughout the 

 United States, though small areas were relieved b}- local rains. The 

 drought was broken late in the summer by frequent rains. In many 

 sections frequent fall rains kept the corn green and sappy till severe 

 freezes came. In jjortions of certain Central and South Central States 

 there was no seed corn, because the corn crop was entirely destroyed 

 by drought. In many Central States good seed was scarce because 

 the crop was poor. In many Northern States the corn crop was 

 better than the average, but good seed was unusually scarce at 

 planting time. 



GENERAL SITUATION CRITICAL, BUT NOT UNUSUAL. 



The seed-corn situation in the spring of 1912 furnishes a most 

 valuable lesson to farmers of all parts of the United States. In cer- 

 tain localities, Avhere little trouble is ordinarily experienced in obtain- 

 ing seed corn that will germinate well, none was obtainable at plant- 

 ing time, while in other localities, where conditions unfavorable to 

 seed corn are frequent and where farmers exercise more precautions, 

 good seed corn existed. 



Unquestionably the acre yield for 1912 will be reduced in many 

 States, owing to the planting of poorly preserved or poorly adapted 

 seed corn. In the aggregate the loss will be immense, but much of 

 it will never be attributed to this factor, because Avell-adapted, well- 

 preserved seed was not available for demonstrating its value in com- 

 parison with that planted. The cause of corn being unfit for seed is 

 commonly attributed to exceptional weather conditions. Such con- 

 ditions may sometimes be the cause, especially in the North, but delay 

 in selecting seed or the growing of varieties maturing too late is 

 usually the true cause. Exceptional weather conditions occur everj^ 

 year, sometimes in one locality and sometimes in another. It is 

 because many autumns are long and dry that the habit is formed of 

 waiting till October to select seed corn. 



The writer's experience in Nebraska Avill illusti'ate this point. In 

 assisting in addressing farmers on corn trains in 1905 emphasis was 



'to 

 [Cir. 95] 



