562 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



GROWING AND SELECTING SEED CORN. 



Victor Felter, WasJita, loica. 



When we remember that three fourths of the value of Iowa's entire 

 agricultural products is in her corn crop we readily see the importance 

 of good seed corn. With the steadily increasing price of farm lands we 

 must grow greater crops of better quality each year, that a reasonable 

 rate of interest may be realized. Ten years ago an exclusive corn show 

 was unheard of, while within the past year we have read of big corn ex- 

 hibits in nearly every agricultural newspaper. The biggest corn show 

 ever held in this State was the one lately held at the Iowa State 

 College at Ames, where so large an exhibit of high quality corn was 

 never seen under one roof. We all know that this magnificent exhibi- 

 tion followed the poorest corn year ever seen in Iowa. This, with several 

 other great corn demonstrations within a few months, is only a criterion 

 of what is to be accomplished within the next decade. 



The actual cost of seed corn per acre is so slight that any farmer 

 can well afford to plant only the very best seed obtainable. If practical 

 each farmer should be his own seed producer, but if his neighbor or any 

 one within reach has anything better, he can well afford, and is generally 

 perfectly willing to pay a reasonable price for it. The time is coming 

 and will soon be here, when every farmer can buy corn with a pedigree, 

 the same as he does live stock. 



Every farmer should plant a piece of corn, say five acres, along the 

 side of his main field and take special care of it with the purpose of 

 selecting his seed for the succeeding year. The best location would prob- 

 ably be on the south or west side of the field, on good rich soil; plant- 

 ing rather thin, so that a large per cent, of seed will be obtained. To 

 procure the greatest yield, as large and late a variety as will mature 

 with safety in this locality should be planted. Mixed varieties are to be 

 discarded for various reasons, such as variety of color, irregularity of 

 ripening and non-fertilization. 



Where each farmer saves his own seed there is no better way of 

 selecting it than to have a small box attached to the side of his wagon 

 and as he finds suitable ears put them in this box. If the crop is thor- 

 oughly matured the corn is ready to be placed in the attic, or other con- 

 venient dry places where it will not have to endure any extremes in 

 temperature. Unsound or immatured ears should be thoroughly dried 

 out in some well ventilated place before being stored for the winter. 



These are some of the practical methods of securing seed corn. Such 

 methods have been practiced ever since the landing of Columbus. But 

 with the ever-advancing civilization and steadily increasing values of 

 lov/a farms we predict some wonderful advances during the next decade 

 in corn culture and corn breeding. To yield a moderate income from one 

 hundred dollar land it is very apparent that greater crops and higher 

 qualitj^ are necessary. 



