281 THE PROFESSION 



OF FARMING 



their soil wasn't poor. Mr. Williamson has made 

 a special study of corn growing. He says : " No 

 farmer is so rich that he can afford to till poor 

 land, nor any land, except in the best manner, 

 planted in the crop best suited to it." In 1904 

 at an expense of $11 per acre for fertilizer, he 

 averaged 84 bushels yield to the acre, the best 

 single acre yield being 125 bushels. 



Farmers are awaking to the value of selected 

 and specialized seeds. One hundred and twenty- 

 five students took the special examination for 

 corn judging certificates at the Iowa State Agri- 

 cultural College at Ames last year. In the corn 

 growers' contest there were nearly eight hundred 

 entries. The corn sale followed, during which 

 the world's record was established. 



The prize lots brought fine prices, sales of ten 

 ears at twenty-five, twenty and fifteen dollars 

 being common. The champion ear of corn last 

 year, which was exhibited by II. J. Ross, was sold 

 for eleven dollars. The grand champion ear 

 grown this year by D. L. Pascal, was offered at 

 auction. Starting at ten dollars, the bids were 

 raised successively, five dollars at a time, until 



