44 MISSOURI AGRICULTURAL REPORT. 



Seed corn growing- and seed corn selection, presents a many-sided 

 problem. In the work of continuous improvement, or even in keeping 

 up a very high standard of productivity for the whole country, the farmer 

 must do his part. In studying the principles of corn breeding, and 

 in practicing scientific methods, he may not only enjoy increased yields 

 in his crops, but rejoice in his accomplshments, due to careful thought 

 directing his labor. There is a pride and satisfaction that comes to the 

 grower of any product, plant or animal, when he views it, recognizing 

 the fact that its superiority is due to his intelligent management. Na- 

 thaniel Hawthorne, in viewing his plants said: "Gazing at them, 1 

 felt that by my agency something worth living for had been done. '-^ * 

 They were real and tangible existences which the mind could seize, hold 

 and rejoice in." 



DISCUSSION. 



Mr. Ellis — ^There is one practical question I think we should dis- 

 cuss, and that is whether a farmer shall grow his own seed? 



Mr. Gabbert — I believe that the seed corn men should have the 

 field and should send out tested seed ,and we can devote our time to 

 something better. I believe the seed man should have the full field. 

 That is my idea about it and I will buy my seed from him. 



Col. Waters — I think that is the tendency now. I find that plan 

 seems to be the most favorable one. At Trenton, in Grundy County, 

 they have an association of corn breeders, but have one, two or three 

 men to raise the seed corn for the whole community. One man might 

 raise the yellow Dent, another the Boone County White and another 

 some other kind. 



Mr. Laughlin — I think a man should raise his own seed, adapted 

 to his own kind of land. If you want a peculiar type, you might buy 

 the seed from a pure bred seed raiser, but I think every farm has char- 

 acteristics of its own, and if you let some other man raise the seed corn 

 you will lose enthusiasm and there is a whole lot in that, and if we 

 would keep up the proper enthusiasm it is necessary that every man 

 should raise his own seed corn and not buy from some one else. 



Mr. Ellis — There are some difficulties in the way of the farmer 

 breeding his own corn. The average size farm in Missouri is only one 

 hundred and twenty acres, and perhaps the average corn acreage on 

 that farm is less than thirty acres, and unless one can get the entire 

 neighborhood to grow one kind of corn, he cannot control the breeding 

 of his corn. That is one objection to it. Another objection is that the 

 ordinary farmer cannot become an expert corn breeder because he has 



