NEGenWeb
Resource Center
On-Line Library

ing in the field dried sufficiently to compensate for the lower temperatures and little additional injury resulted. In general, corn in the field which was sound on November 19, 1917, was also sound December 29, 1918. The vitality of grain which contained more than 57 per cent of moisture on November 19, was so reduced by the temperatures which prevailed up to that date as to make it unreliable for seed purposes. This includes all corn containing more than 35 per cent moisture at the time of the first killing frost. On the other hand the driest corn standing in the field and also that from the shocked corn, (Nos. 1 and 2, Table V) were not injured seriously, giving germination tests of 93 and 87 per cent perfect germination respectively, tho exposed to all the low temperatures prior to December 29.

     The data also indicates that a strong correlation exists between the degree of freezing injury and the color of the germ. The field from which these selections were made was, I believe, fairly typical of most corn fields in Eastern Nebraska.

      In my judgment, barring a very small percentage of farmers whose corn was outstandingly immature, the following options are open to the Nebraska farmer who has not yet supplied himself with suitable seed corn: (1) The use of home-grown old seed; (2) careful selection of new corn from the field, shock or crib; (3) purchase of seed from a neighbor; (4) purchase of either new or old seed from a distance.

      The first three sources of seed named here impress me as almost equally good. Sending off for seed is sensible only when definite assurance may be had regarding its adaptibility (sic) to one's own conditions. I would greatly prefer spending four days selecting 10 bushels of sound seed from my own crib of well-adapted corn than to send off for seed whose adaptability is not definitely known. I consider it sound policy to select as high germinating seed as possible, providing the work involved is not prohibitive; but I would prefer 75 per cent seed the adaptation of which is known to 100 per cent seed which might not prove well adapted.

      A small percentage of farmers have selected seed early from the field before injury, and by careful preservation will have very satisfactory seed in the spring. Others who do not have a supply of sound old corn and cannot get sound adapted seed locally, should by all means investigate the possibilities of their own cribs before ordering from a distance.

      A little study of the corn in any crib will give one an insight regarding the type of corn in the crib which is likely to germinate well.

This maybe ascertained as all farmers know, in a fairly reliable way by an examination of the germ. It is very likely that this study will disclose that there is little use in choosing any deep-kerneled or rough ears, because they are late-maturing and slow to dry out.

Rough and smooth ears of Nebraska White Prize Corn.
The smooth type has out yielded other types at the Nebraska Experiment Station

     On the other hand, it will be found that the sound seed occurs in the rather slender, solid, hard, smooth, flinty ears with kernels of only medium depth. These are the ears to select. No fear need be entertained that this type of corn will yield unsatisfactorily. It may mature several days earlier next fall than the rougher corn in the same crib, but that will not be objectionable.

     Fancy score card considerations may be entirely overlooked in this seed selection, without any likelihood of reducing the yield.

     Contrary to opinions frequently heard, investigations at the Nebraska Experiment Station indicate that seed corn selected for high germination late in the year, either from the field or crib, will have as full yielding capacity as seed with equal germinating power selected by special methods in the fall of the year. I am thoroughly convinced that winter exposure of seed corn in the field or crib will reduce the following year's crop only when corn with impaired germination resulting in unsatisfactory stands is selected for seed.

      During the last three years, 1915, 1916 and 1917, comparative yield tests were made of Nebraska White Prize Corn selected by special methods from the field in September, November and March, and of corn selected during the regular husking time in November. The yields were consistent during each of the three years, and averaged 47, 48.3, 49.8, and 49.2 bushels per acre respectively for the September, November, March and ordinary November selected seed. Care had been taken to use only ears which germinated well. The results are given in Table VII.

      Table VII--Relative yields of seed corn selected at various dates during the fall and winter-1915-1917

		Yield per Acre
Date of Seed Selection	Duplications Each Year	1915	1916	1917	Three Year Average
		Bushels	Bushels	Bushels	Bushels
September	4	66.6	36.1	38.3	47.0
November	4	65.9	87.3	41.6	48.3
March	4	64.7	42.1	42.6	49.8
Check	4	66.3	40.3	41.1	49.2

1. The seed was harvested about the 15th of each month.
2. The check seed was harvested from the same field while husking in November.

     Adaptation in seed corn is a vital factor in its production. It is generally recognized that homegrown seed which has been grown in the locality for some years, is most likely to prove adapted. One takes the least chances with homegrown or locally-grown seed. It is hazardous to send off for seed corn without having definite assurance of some reliable nature that the corn is well adapted to one's own conditions. The best criterion of such adaptability is previous growing by some one in the community.

      It is usually not enough to know the variety name of a corn in ordering from a distance, because variety has lost much of its significance with this crop. A northeastern Nebraska farmer who has found Reid's Yellow Dent a very satisfactory variety, might be greatly disappointed if he heard of sound Reid's Yellow Dent corn in southeastern Nebraska and ordered seed of it, thinking it would be similar to the Reid's which he had been growing. The southeastern Reid's is likely to be two weeks later than northeastern Reid's, even when planted under identical conditions.

      There is more danger in sending south or east for seed corn than in sending north or west. Corn obtained from the latter directions might result in a crop somewhat too small and early, but it will at least ripen and produce grain of good quality. Eastern and southern seed may yield less and also produce a crop inferior in quality. General statements of this kind need qualifications. It is impossible to state just how far it is safe to send for seed. This varies with the section of the state and the growth habits of the particular corn in question.

      For example, some southeastern Nebraska farmers grow for early hog feed some early corn, seed of which was but recently secured from northeastern Nebraska. Such seed could be moved back to northeastern Nebraska with reasonable certainty of adaptability. Southeastern Nebraska typically grows what may be regarded as 320-day corn. If planted on May 20, it ripens in the average year September 20. Such corn would be too late for planting 100 miles north or west.

      On the other hand, if corn which is commonly known as 90-day corn (but it is more likely to be 100 or 110-day corn), in southeastern Nebraska, and occasionally grown there for early feed, could be moved 100 miles north or west with reasonable safety. University No. 3 corn is such an example. This ripens two weeks earlier than typical southeastern Reid's Yellow Dent and seed grown in Richardson county could for example, be moved as far west as Grand Island or north as far as Thurston county.

      It is doubtless proper to select seed with at least 90 per cent germination, if possible. However, it would seem far better to plant well adapted home-grown seed testing only 75 per cent than to secure better testing seed from a distance and run a chance of poor adaptation. An allowance may be made for the dead seed by increasing the rate of planting in proportion. If a drop of three sound seeds per hill is considered the ideal rate by a farmer having seed of which only three out of four kernels grow, the planter should be adjusted to drop four seeds per hill.

      A uniform stand of three plants per hill cannot be secured from such seed, but according to the law of chance there will be a rather uniform scattering of two, three, and four-plant hills. Not more than about one hill in 2 will contain only one plant and only about one hill in 300 will be entirely without plants. This distribution will, of course, vary somewhat in farm practice, because no planter can be set uniformaly (sic) to drop four seeds. The number of the different kinds of hills to be expected are shown in Table VIII. When corn of this character is used for seed, positive knowledge should be had regarding the per cent germination.

      Table VIII--Showing chance distribution of plants when seed germinating 75 and 65 per cent is planted four kernels per hill 44 inches apart

     An investigation was made in 1915 and 1916 to determine the effect of varied distribution of plants upon the yield of corn. The number of plants per acre was the same in all cases, but the number of plants in adjacent hills differed. The purpose was two fold: (1) To learn the effect of variation in stand caused by mechanical variation in dropping by corn planters, when corn with perfect germiniation (sic) is planted. (2) To learn what result might be expected from planting corn, only part of which will grow, but for which the rate of planting has been calculated to seed the desired number of sound kernels per acre.

      The methods of distribution compared were: (1) All hills with uniformly three plants; (2) alternating hills with two and four plants; (3) alternating hills with one, three and five plants; (4) alternating hills with one, two, three, four and five plants. The results are given in Table IX. The average yield for the three varied distributions was 73 bushels compared with 74.3 bushels for the uniform planting rate of three plants per hill. A uniform stand of three plants per hill yielded 1.8 per cent more than the mean for the varied distributions. Variation in stand due to the planter or to the presence of dead seed in corn testing as low as 75 per cent, with a correspond-

ing adjustment in the planting rate, is less marked than the variation in the above special plantings.

      Table IX--Effect of varied distribution of plants in planting compared with uniform distribution 1915-1916

     After the seed ears are thoroly (sic) cured, a general germination test may be made of a composite sample of kernels taken scatteringly from each of several hundred ears at the rate of five or six kernels per ear. The germination may often be improved by discarding the butts of the ears which are more subject to injury, due to slower drying. If the germination proves unsatisfactory, a more severe elimination of unsound ears should be made. Discarding all ears with a discolored germ and making an individual ear germination test are rather effective methods.

A general germination test is always desirable before planting corn

---

48

PROCEEDINGS OF THE

The making of such tests is generally understood by farmers. Care must be taken to provide uniform and favorable conditions, in order that misleading results may not be secured.

      The most reliable general test may be made by planting the seed in a box of soil. The number of seeds actually producing plants may thus be ascertained. If the tests are made between moist blotters, cloths, or by any other similar device, the kernels after sprouting may easily be exposed and the germination counted.

---

      The topic assigned to me "The Value of Continuing Competitive Corn Exhibits" is a timely one and well worth our time to consider. If we are to estimate the value to be derived from corn shows in increased yields alone it probably would not amount to much, as we know that "show ears" do not as a rule increase the yield of corn. On the other hand farmers of this state have paid thousands of dollars in tax money for scientific investigation along the line of corn improvemnt (sic), yet such investigations have resulted in practically no increase in the yield of corn. Therefore, farmers could object to further investigations fully as well as could those who are opposed to corn shows object, as their results have been about the same so far as increased yields are concerned.

      An ear of show corn should be a good ear for seed. No ear of corn will win a prize that is not fully matured, showing a strong germ and having a uniform grain. If the farmers of Nebraska would plant a variety of corn that would mature earlier the soft corn problem would not be nearly as serious in such a season as the one just passed. Therefore, if corn shows have no other mission than to impress on corn growers the value of growing corn that will mature earlier than the corn of the average farm is maturing, they are serving their purpose well.

      If the corn grown on Nebraska farms this year, were as good in quality as is the corn shown at our show, I dare say that Nebraska's corn crop would be worth nearly twice as much as it is, in the condition it is in today. This to a large extent is the case nearly every year.

      Another thing that must be considered is the viability of the ears. There may be dead ears in many of those show samples, but any practical farmer could pick his seed corn from that lot of show ears, and have seed that would grow, whereas a large per cent of them will not be able to pick seed from the immature corn they have.

      The score card has given more points to maturity and soundness than to any other qualities of the show ear. We can readily see that those show ears really are of value aside from being of "good quality."

      Therefore, I say that if the Nebraska Corn Improvers' Association can put on a corn show, as we are doing now, and have done in the past, and if we can impress on the farmers of Nebraska the value of growing corn that will mature earlier than the average corn is maturing, it would be worth many times the cost of this corn show to Nebraska farmers.

      In my opinion there is nothing the farmer can do that will add to the value of this corn crop as much as will the planting of a variety of corn that will mature earlier or, in other words strive to grow corn as good in quality as show corn should be.

      Show ears have been called "pretty ears, good looking ears, ears true to type" and various other names, but they really are good seed ears.

      Corn growers must have a standard of some kind by which to select their seed ears. And if we are sure that "Show ears" do not increase our yield of corn, we are equally sure that they do not decrease the yield. So the show ears have done no harm as far as yields are concerned.

      While selecting ears that are true to a certain type may not increase the yield yet we can just as well grow good looking ears-pretty ears -as ugly ones.

      Why is a matched team of brood mares more valuable than an unmatched team? Will they produce more and better colts, all things being equal, than an unmatched team? They surely will not, but the farmer, breeder and market demand uniformity and trueness to type in horses, should we not have it in corn?

      Let us consider the pig from the "pretty" standpoint. A pig, to be used for breeding purposes, with a swirl on his back will go begging for a buyer even among farmers that grow only a few hogs for the open market. A breeder would not use one in his herd, no matter how good an individual he was and even tho he carried the best in

---

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