CORN GROWERS ASSOCIATION. 4I 



means all. The permanent improvement of corn for the future will de- 

 pend largely on the skill and intelligence of the farmer himself. 



WHAT THE FARMER MAY DO IN CORN IMPROVEMENT. 



(Col. G. W. Waters, Canton, Mo.) 



This paper on "What the Farmer May Do in Corn Improvement," 

 follows logically Prof. Miller's paper on "What the Experiment Sta- 

 tions are Doing," (and have been doing) in the same line of work. He 

 tells us what has been accomplished by scientific investigation and care- 

 ful experimentation. It remains for us to inquire in how far the farmer 

 may follow in adopting the methods of the progressive corn breeder. 



Assuming that the findijigs of the experiment stations are correct 

 and that corn is susceptible of great improvement by proper selection 

 and breeding, the subject appeals at once to the farmer as well worthy 

 of his consideration. 



The farmer will do one of three things : First, wholly disregard 

 the experiment station work by going on in his own way planting corn 

 grown without reference to improved breeding, taking no advantage 

 of the progress of the times ; or, second, he will rely for his seed upon 

 others who grow it more or less upon scientific principles ; or, third, he 

 will adopt' the up-to-date methods of seed corn growing which have 

 been clearly described in Prof. Miller's paper preceding this. 



In many cases it will be the best for farmers to adopt the second 

 method ; that is, to secure their seed corn from some responsible grower. 

 There are a number of precautions necessary to be taken in the pur- 

 chase of seed corn. I will mention some of them : 



(a) It should come from somewhere near the same latitude. Corn 

 grown further south would ripen later and probably have a tendency to 

 produce excessive stalk, for it is noticeable that the stalks grow taller as 

 w^e go southward. Corn from the north would, on the other hand, 

 ripen too early to get the benefit of the entire growing season. 



(b) Again, if grown and developed on land entirely different from 

 that where it is to be used, it would probably be disappointing. How- 

 ever, from observation and experience, I conclude that seed corn should 

 be grown on good land and receive good cultivation so as to give the 

 seed great vitality and prepotency toward a profitable yield. Corn will 

 deteriorate and degenerate in the same manner as will live stock if sub- 

 mitted to adverse conditions as to feed and care. I have in mind two 

 fields of corn, both planted with first-class seed of the prize-winning 



