50 FOR BETTER CROPS IN THE SOUTH 



a simple method of immersing the seed in water, allowing the 

 kernels of the lighter cereal to float to the top when they can be 

 skimmed off. This process of separating grain mixtures may be 

 combined with the hot-water treatment for smut, thus per- 

 forming both operations at the same time. 



In addition to keeping seed pure, the farmer may greatly 

 improve his crop by the selection of better plants each year. 

 This may be accomplished by the following method. Just before 

 harvest select from the field vigorous, healthy plants that have 

 stool ed well, that have large heads and that are free from rust 

 or smut. Continue the gathering of these plants until after 

 threshing you have enough seed to plant an acre of ground. 

 This space is to be known as a seed plat and its size year after 



A field of rye in Dixie Land 



year, of course, should depend upon the acreage of grain that is 

 to be planted. In this seed plat is grown only the grain that is 

 to be used for sowing the general crop the next year. If this 

 seed selection becomes a regular custom, as it should, the farmer 

 will be justified in buying a small one or two-horse power 

 thresher that can be run by a gasoline engine, which will 

 readily thresh any small-sized bundles, as small even as a mere 

 handful. The seed plat should be set apart from any of the 

 fields and kept thoroughly protected, even fenced in if necessary. 

 Just before harvesting this seed plat, the very best plants should 

 be selected from the plat in the manner described, and the seed 

 of these plants should be used for sowing this seed plat the next 

 autumn or spring. The remainder of the seed that is taken from 

 the seed plat should be used for seeding the general crop. 



