NEGenWeb
Resource Center
On-Line Library

hogs and getting back what the packer will pay me, unless there is a shift in the relative values of food products. This, however, is immaterial to me so long as 1 can help to beat the Kaiser, by feeding hogs. It may not be profitable for thousands of young men to bear arms, but by God's grace and strength we will do what we can. It may not be profitable for us farmers to turn our corn into milk but by God's grace we will do that very thing if it will help win the war. I can't get into the front line trenches and shoot bullets, but I can put this corn into bullocks and help feed and support our men who are over in the trenches and in training camps. I believe that is the feeling of everyone in Nebraska. I am glad to see everyone so earnest about it as they are.

     MR. RIST: I don't quite understand how we can use corn substitutes for wheat. The price of corn meal is higher than wheat flour. It seems some regulation should be established which will keep the relative price of corn products where it belongs.

     MR. BURNETT: I believe the tendency of corn now is downward. Today the price of corn is abnormally high in view of present conditions. But the point I wish to raise is this: I still believe we should eat corn in order to make more wheat available for our allies. This is a wholesome and patriotic sacrifice on our part. The housewife who is used to running her house on the very least amount of money sacrifices when she uses these wheat substitutes, in most cases, because they are higher priced than the wheat itself.

     MR. FILLEY: We did not have any trouble in putting the price on wheat. Why should not Nebraska and Kansas farmers see to it that a price is fixed on corn? It is a very simple matter to work out from a practical standpoint. Many of these adjustments are being influenced by parties who believe in and profit from the spoils of war.

     I agree with Mr. Burnett that we ought to eat corn bread even though we are paying more for corn meal than for wheat flour; but while eating corn bread and paying more for corn meal I think it behooves us to get busy on many other things along lines that the people of Nebraska are interested in. Corn at the present time, locally, is worth something less than 3 cents a pound, whereas, wheat is worth about 3.4 cents a pound. Corn is cheaper per pound than wheat by cents a pound, whereas corn meal is higher per pound than is refined wheat flour. Something is radically wrong. There is absolutely no reason why we should not grind our own corn meal in cooperative mills and get away, to that extent, from monopoly and the control of the milling industry in the central west. It is up to us to do it and eat our own corn meal.

     Another point regarding prices as a whole. They must be at a higher level than normally because of the increasing amount of circulating medium. Our circulating medium has largely increased since the beginning of the war. We have had large bond issues in this

country since the beginning of the war, which, in a way, have been a factor in this increase. As the money increases in amount the purchasing power has to decrease, and this alone would be responsible for shifting of land values at the present time and for part of the increase in our food products.

     MR. BURNETT: I want to make a suggestion, that just at this time we should consider increasing the spring wheat acreage at the expense of corn. If this subject is not on our program, I believe the matter could well be discussed before we adjourn.

     MR. KIESSELBACH: Prof. C. G. Williams of the Ohio Agricultural Experiment station was to have addressed us this afternoon, However, he has wired us that his train is snowbound beyond Chicago, and there is no possibility of his getting here today or tomorrow. It is possible that Professor Burr may he prevailed upon to discuss spring wheat immediately after dinner.

---

     I am not on the regular program. I am called simply to use some of Professor Williams' time since, unfortunately, he cannot be with us. Professor Kiesselbach called me at the Corn Show Room this morning and said he wished me to speak on some subject of current interest. Without time for preparation, I thought I might speak to you for a few minutes on the general crop situation, and perhaps, the spring wheat crop in particular, with special reference to spring wheat and the seed corn outlook.

     Perhaps it is too early to say that the condition of winter wheat is bad, still we can say that Nebraska is below normal in acreage--only about 80 per cent of normal having been sown. The Government estimated that Nebraska should plant 3,600,000 acres. There have been something over 2,700,000 acres sown. That is the best off-hand estimate we can give. It is needless for me to go through all the figures in regard to this. We all know what the needs of the country are; we all know that the Government has said that wheat is essential and that the price of wheat has been fixed. Wheat production should be remunerative at this price since in the past, it has

been profitable at a price less than half the present one and cost of production has not been doubled. Considering the present labor and other condtiions (sic) as they are, there is still a profit in $2.00 wheat for the Nebraska farmer, if he gets anything like a normal crop.

     Recently we have been rather discouraged over the condition of winter wheat. In the western part of the state and a portion of the eastern part, conditions are far from good. Last week I had reports from Manhattan, Wymore and from several other points. Some reports were very good and some were discouraging. In some places, and Lincoln was one of them, winter wheat went into the winter in fair condition as far as growth was concerned but the subsoil was dry. We had no reserve water. While it is too early at the present time to predict how the winter wheat will turn out, all reports from the great wheat states indicate that conditions are only fair.

     The need of wheat and the shortage in acreage planted to winter wheat in Nebraska, and the possibility of damage being done to wheat that is now planted, will all affect the Nebraska crop next year. Even under favorable conditions and good yields, Nebraska cannot produce the amount of wheat desired by the Government on the acreage that has been planted. It is now too late to sow winter wheat. The acreage can only be made up by planting spring wheat. Spring wheat is not considered a good crop under normal conditions in the eastern South Platte country. The old farmers in this state remember that up until about 1880 when the only wheat grown was spring wheat, the crops averaged poor and corn was rapidly replacing spring wheat in Eastern Nebraska. With the introduction of winter wheat, this crop has taken an important place in our cropping system.

     So under normal conditions, we would not consider spring wheat very desirable for the southern and eastern parts of the state. Normally winter wheat ripens from ten to twelve days earlier than spring wheat and thereby at least partially escapes unfavorable weather and disease conditions that usually attack spring wheat. The yield of spring wheat is usually reduced by dry, hot weather, or by lodging and rust if the season is moist. Spring wheat has made yields here at the Station as high as 30 bushels per acre. However, the average yield for ten years is a little more than one-half that of winter wheat. This year conditions are not normal. There is an extraordinary demand for wheat; the Government has fixed the price for next year's crop, and labor conditions are anything but normal due to the drafting of men from the farms. We all know that it requires less labor on the ordinary farm to grow some small grain and some corn than it does to

grow the whole place to corn. A division of the cropping tends to distribute the labor requirement. In order to make labor and equipment reach as far as they can, we should have some small grain in the farming system. Owing to the dry fall and the impossibility of getting the land properly prepared, many farmers did not sow fall wheat. They are planning on putting in this acreage to spring wheat next spring. It is very possible from the standpoint of labor alone, that we can afford to make up a large portion of the winter wheat shortage by sowing spring wheat. This is one reason why we should advocate spring wheat at this time.

     The next point that I wish to make is the price of wheat. If under normal prices spring wheat is permissable in the cropping system, the chances are very much in its favor with a price of $2.00 per bushel for this coming year. While spring wheat gives much less average yield than winter wheat in Southeastern Nebraska, still it has given a fair average yield and in favorable years, quite high yields. Here at Lincoln, I think the figures show an average of 20 bushels per acre for nine years. With an average yield of spring wheat and with a minimum price of $2.00 per bushel, it would be a very profitable crop this coming year. It would certainly be desirable where there is a labor shortage, and no wheat now on the farm.

     In our variety tests here at Lincoln, three varieties have given about equal yields and have stood at the top--Marquis, Swedish, and Early Java. Any of these varieties should be satisfactory. These are all commercial varieties. In regard to seed, we can locate in small amounts considerable spring wheat still in the hands of the farmer. We can get Marquis wheat in car lots in Omaha at cost price. We know of a limited supply of Swedish wheat held at $3.00 per bushel.

     It seems then, from all points considered, that wherever there is a shortage of winter wheat, it can be at least partially made up by putting in spring wheat. It is at least a safe chance and if conditions are normal and a normal yield is obtained, will be profitable at the price fixed. It will help to distribute the labor and besides, every additional bushel of wheat is needed. So much for spring wheat.

     Professor Kiesselbach is to speak to you regarding the condition of seed corn. His talk will probably be more or less technical. I want to speak for a few minutes on the seed corn situation in general. It is needless to tell any farmer that the seed corn situation is bad, perhaps serious. A meeting was held yesterday with the State Council of Defense regarding this situation. There were men present from all sections of the state. We had reports from most of the counties in the

state. All the evidence indicated that as far as the 1917 crop is concerned, it was very poor from the standpoint of seed.

     The seed corn situation is bad, not only in Nebraska, but in other states, and in some of them very serious, especially in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Iowa. The conditions in those states are worse than in Nebraska. The Government has been concerned in this and is sending out letters to determine where they can get seed in car lots. We are primarily concerned with the situation as it confronts us here in Nebraska. We can obtain seed. We have supplies of old corn, and with proper care, seed can he selected from the best of the new corn, but we must awaken to the situation. The most dangerous thing in the whole situation is the fellow that says, ''Well, my corn is not so bad but that it will grow." We know from hundreds of tests that most of the 1917 corn will not grow. The men at the meeting yesterday emphasized the point that the farmers must be awakened to the actual seriousness of the situation. Some of them reported that in their communities only 10 per cent of the corn selected for seed will grow. Mr. Ave of Blair says very little of their 1917 crop will grow. The point I want to bear down on is that each individual here should make it a part of his work and make it his duty to see that we combat this feeling of security. Our greatest danger lies in not realizing the condition as it is. Every man should make a germination test and see that he has good seed corn that will grow. Now is the time to make the germination tests. If the corn that has been selected gives a strong germination at this time, it is very probable that it will be good seed for planting. At this time of year, corn should be so dry that no further damage from low temperature may be expected. If the germinating quality is shown to be too low to use for seed, there will be plenty of time between now and planting to locate good seed. The sooner this can be done, the better. It is not safe to let it run until near planting time.

     To determine the germinating quality of the seed, a general test can be made first. It can be made by taking 5 or 6 kernels from each ear of a representative number of ears and making a general test of them. If this general test shows a sufficiently strong germination, and the ears are representative of the entire lot of seed, no further test need be made. If the germinating power of the corn is low, an ear test will be advisable, making a separate test for each ear, that is, keeping the kernels from each individual ear separated from the others in the germinator, to allow one to throw out all ears of low germination and save only the strong seed.

---

NEBRASKA CORN IMPROVERS ASSOCIATION

33

The individual ear germinator's test. Discarding ears which will not grow

A close view into the individual ear germination tester

---

© 2002 for the NEGenWeb Project by Pam Rietsch, Ted & Carole Miller