226 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
■March 16 , 
points 6 and 7 tend toward the production of a number 
of larger and smaller kernels, which would be discarded 
when seeding on account of their irregularities in size. 
Again, if we are judging seed corn and it is immature 
(point 2) and will not grow, then we do not want it, 
and that is ail there is to it. We certainly do not want 
to mark it down 15 points discount and accept it. The 
color of the kernels is of some value in showing a cross 
pollination, but isolation of the breeding plot is the only 
sure method of prevention, for hybrid kernels do not al¬ 
ways show in the current generation, even when polli¬ 
nated by a corn of a different color. The color of the 
cob, moreover, is of absolutely no determining value. It 
is inherited as a single character, and has nothing to do 
with the other really important characters. The last 
point on the score card, the proportion of corn to cob, 
is also of no present known value. If the ears of a cer¬ 
tain strain of corn average eight ounces of shelled corn, 
it matters very little to the grower whether the per¬ 
centage of corn to cob is 80 or 90. It is certainly im¬ 
possible to say that if the strain which produces the low 
percentage should by selection be brought to the higher 
percentage, that the difference would be converted into 
corn. 
The point which the grower should observe is this: 
7 he corn of value is the corn zvhich produces on his 
land the greatest net profit per acre . Pre-eminent 
above everything else is yielding efficiency, and this can 
only be determined by growing in rows side by side the 
kernels from ears to be compared—all the kernels from 
each ear in a single row; and finally weighing up and 
comparing the crops from each of the rows. This is 
the ear-to-the-row method of corn breeding, which will 
be described later. 
Instead of judging by the eye, the maturity and vital¬ 
ity of our seed corn can be accurately determined by 
germinating from five to 10 kernels from each ear which 
we intend to plant, by any one of the several methods 
that have been heretofore described in The R. N.-Y. 
This should always be done, but reasonable caution 
should be taken to have seed corn that will grow, by 
going through the high yielding rows before there is a 
chance for frost, and selecting the seed corn in the field. 
'I hen take care that it is placed where it will dry out 
properly; where there is a reasonable circulation of air 
around every ear, and where there is no danger of 
freezing. 
When in the field select your corn with an eye to 
every point which will raise your yield or lessen your 
cost of production. But do not spend valuable time in 
working for small points for which no reason can be 
given. Select from plants which are vigorous and which 
have plenty of foliage. This is the manufactory where 
the starch is made. See that there are good brace roots 
to keep the plant upright, and that the ear branch is not 
so long that it is likely to break with the weight of the 
car. Make the whole plant the unit of selection and 
select from those which have produced the greatest 
weight of corn. If you are going to husk your corn, 
pay some attention to the ease of doing it, by getting a 
properly shaped butt and the right size shank. If you 
are going to plant with a planter, notice the shape of the 
kernels and select for uniformity. If you are going to 
feed your crop, select for a higher percentage of pro¬ 
tein by cutting a few kernels from each ear across with 
a knife and selecting only those which show a large 
amount of the hard horny portion, which carries a 
great percentage of the protein. Whatever your point 
of view, do not let the minor points obscure the great 
ones. We are all working for one goal—greater profits 
per acre. E. M. east. 
Connecticut Experiment Station. 
THE TRUTH ABOUT THE SPENCER SEED - 
LESS APPLE. 
Interviews With Colorado Fruit Growers. 
Part II. 
Besides visiting the farm of J. F. Spencer, as record¬ 
ed on page 147, I interviewed a number of prominent 
fruit growers at Grand Junction and elsewhere in west¬ 
ern Colorado, and present herewith what I learned. 
The Spencer Seedless Apple Company was organized 
with great enthusiasm some four years ago. A circular 
of the company states that it was organized “with a 
capital stock of $300,000, divided into as many shares 
with a par value of $1 each.” I was told that about 
one-half the shares were held by J. F. Spencer and an¬ 
other man; the remainder were scattered, mostly among 
the fruit growers and tradesmen of Grand Junction. 
Some of the leading fruit growers of Grand Junction 
were interested in the enterprise at that time. I was 
told that during the first year the shares sold for 6 to 
15 cents or thereabouts. But about a year after the 
organization of the company, some of the Grand Junc¬ 
tion people apparently went wild over the proposition. 
Shares sold for $1.25 then During the past two years, 
however, the excitement has ebbed most decidedly. I 
was informed that shares are being advertised now in 
Grand Junction papers for 15 cents or less. In short, it 
appears that the Spencer Seedless Apple Company has 
had a boom of gold-mine size and fervor; but that has 
all passed now. 
The Spencer Seedless Apple Company sells “State 
rights,” or the exclusive right to propagate and sell the 
variety in a certain district. A circular from the com¬ 
pany appearing about December, 1905, states, “There 
JUST OFF THE CARS. Fig. 109. 
are 17 organized and incorporated companies in the 
United States which are growing the Spencer Seedless 
apple for distribution in 36 States. There will be prac¬ 
tically two and one-half millions of these trees on the 
market next year at $2 per tree. We intend to sell them 
in blocks of 5, 10, 15 and 20 trees.” The home com¬ 
pany sells bud sticks to the subsidiary companies and 
also the apples for agents to exhibit. The Spencer Seed¬ 
less apple is a beautiful grower in the nursery. It costs 
no more to raise it than the Ben Davis. For this rea- 
LINBD UP FOR DINNER. Fig. 110. 
son and others, some people object to paying $2 per 
tree. The company has had a general office in Grand 
Junction, but I was told that it had been closed from 
lack of business. Mr. Spencer and ethers have or¬ 
ganized the “Home Nursery Company” to propagate 
and introduce other novelties, especially, we are led to 
infer, the other seedless varieties that he is now de¬ 
veloping. Very few Spencer Seedless apple trees have 
been sold in Colorado. At the fruit growers’ meeting 
that I attended in western Colorado it is not even men¬ 
TURNED INTO PORK. Fig. 111. 
tioned as one of the varieties that it would be worth 
while to plant. I met but one fruit grower who recom¬ 
mended it. It is usually spoken of with a wink. 
There was unanimity among the fruit growers whom 
I met that Mr. Spencer did not “originate” the apple 
which bears his name. All believe that trees of it were 
shipped into the Grand River Valley from the East, 
although the exact State from which they came is vari¬ 
ously stated as North Carolina, Virginia, Iowa and 
Wisconsin. The friends and neighbors of Mr. Spencer 
are almost unanimous in denying that he had anything 
more to do with the origination of the variety than that 
of noticing it and recognizing its possibilities as a nov¬ 
elty. One man, who places implicit confidence in the 
Spencerian origin of this variety said to me, “As well 
as I know Mr. Spencer, and as close friends as we are, 
he has never told me one word about how he originated 
this variety and what methods he uses.” 
I recently examined evidence, which satisfies me 
at least, that this same apple was grown and propagated 
many years ago in the East as a novelty; that it was 
discarded there as worthless; and that trees of it fell 
into the hands of Mr. Spencer about 17 years ago. I 
do not consider it worth while to discuss this point in 
detail. The editor of The R. N.-Y. has the evidence on 
file. A circular of the company says “Experiments are 
now under way by Mr. Spencer by which he hopes to 
develop seedless varieties of the leading apples on the 
market, as Winesap, Jonathan, Gano, Belle Fluer, etc.” 
We shall be gratified at these results, although w r e de¬ 
plore the secrecy in obtaining them. That is not like 
Burbank, or The R. N.-Y.’s eminent plant breeder, Dr. 
Van Fleet. 
I have a personal reason for writing these articles, 
which is that agents of the Spencer Seedless Apple 
Company are now working Michigan, and I cannot see 
that any of the extravagant and now disapproved claims 
have been abandoned. I hope that The R. N.-Y. will 
continue to give publicity to this matter until the com¬ 
pany has been brought to its senses. Personally, I con¬ 
sider the Spencer Seedless apple a horticultural “gold 
brick.” The wdiole business reminds me of the wild-cat 
mining propositions that fill the inside pages of Sunday 
newspapers. But other people look upon it more leni¬ 
ently, and some prominent and well-informed fruit grow¬ 
ers honestly believe that the variety will amount to 
something. This being the case we can only await de¬ 
velopments and applaud the efforts of The R. N.-Y. to 
make the company more conservative in their claims. 
Michigan Agricultural College. s. w. fletcher. 
CRUSHED COW-PEA HAY. 
I read with much interest “An Experience With 
Alfalfa Meal,” page 102. I do not have Alfalfa, but 
make great use of cow-pea hay and have long desired 
some means of making it into meal for hogs and poul¬ 
try. I wish some one who is so situated as to be able 
would try the following method and report the result: 
Run the hay (Alfalfa or cow-pea) through a cane 
crusher set close to roll the stems as flat and paper¬ 
like as possible. Then put through a fodder cutter set to 
cut in as short lengths as it can be done—say one- 
eighth inch. The “green smoke” would not rise from 
this product probably, but the hard, woody fibers should 
be crushed and softened; it would be short enough so 
hens could eat it easily and it would readily mix with 
ground grain to make a balanced ration for any kind of 
stock. I never had hogs do so well as this Winter, 
when cow-pea hay has been part of their daily ration. 
The fattening hogs throve amazingly on much less corn 
than usual, and the brood sows could have enough to 
eat to keep them contented without becoming overfat. 
But there was considerable waste in feeding the uncut 
hay, and I think there would be great saving if made 
into meal, especially if the stems contain much nutri¬ 
ment, as I suppose they do. F. E. h. 
Lockwood, Mo. 
GRINDING ALFALFA.—Referring to T. B. Hoov¬ 
er’s communication on page 102, .regarding a feed mill 
to grind Alfalfa hay, I use a Bowsher mill No. 4, with 
my eight horse-power gasoline engine, and have ground 
Alfalfa hay successfully for several years for feeding 
my hens, calves, pigs, etc. We first run the hay through 
our power cutter, making the cut as short as possible, 
and then grind to a fine meal. At times we add a little 
dry shelled corn to the cut hay, which we think helps 
to keep the grinders clean, and in grinding condition. 
We find this meal makes a most excellent ration, in 
value fully equal to wheat bran, pound for pound. With 
this mill we grind to our full satisfaction all kinds of 
grain, including ear corn. B. w. P. 
Grand Rapids, Mich. 
FEEDING VALUE OF GROUND ALFALFA.—I 
have fed ground Alfalfa for the past two seasons with 
very satisfactory results, and consider it equal to good 
bran for lightening up other feeds, like cornmeal, 
gluten, etc. The proof of the pudding is in the eating. 
This Fall I was feeding a good quality of Spring bran 
and other feeds, but no Alfalfa. I had some of the 
third cutting of Alfalfa ground and mixed it in the 
place of the bran, and there was a decided gain in the 
flow of milk. The machine used in grinding at our 
mill is unlike anything I ever saw. and takes consider¬ 
able power. The whole Alfalfa is fed in like grain 
to a thrashing machine, and is worn up by the cylinder, 
which is filled with heavy plugs that have a very deep 
screw thread; it then goes in a round screen and is 
sifted or rather worn out some more, and finally de¬ 
posited in a dust-tight box ready for sacking. The 
price of grinding is quite high, 40 cents per 100 or $8 a 
ton. I do not think it could be ground in an ordinary 
feed mill without heating the Alfalfa, and I think that 
would injure the meal and also the mill; the grinding 
makes the Alfalfa go further, and for some reason you 
get a good deal better results. I suppose it is on the 
same plan as grinding all grains. C. K. R. 
Peterboro, N. Y. 
