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SERIES II.

BULLETIN No. 20

     This bulletin is one of the series published jointly by the State Department of Public Instruction and the Department of Farmers' Institutes, University of Nebraska, for the encouragement of the work of the Nebraska boys' and girls' club. The subject matter was written and compiled by A. H. Nelson. This is the last of the special bulletins for members of the Home Experiment Department and is sent to all members enrolled for any of the work in agriculture. It contains much of interest to others.

     Each member is asked to read over carefully the entire bulletin and to as carefully follow directions. We receive numerous letters from members in various departments asking questions which are answered in the bulletin, but the member has failed to read carefully enough to get the information.

     The next bulletin for the Nebraska boys' and girls' club members will be a general bulletin sent to both boys and girls. It will tell about the state meeting and corn show to be held at Lincoln, January 16-20; It will explain the short courses open to members and give other information which will he of interest.

     Each member of the Home Experiment Department is invited to take an active part in all work of a similar nature in his respective county. We believe that members of this department represent the most ambitious young people In each county and shall expect good things from them in school district and county contests.

     If any members have been unfortunate this year In being unable to complete their work, or results have been unsatisfactory, we trust that such members will have the necessary amount of determination to profit by their failures and to prepare for better things next year by learning all they can about methods of procedure and how to avoid mistakes in their work.

     We continue to receive the co-operation of many people and organizations in the work of our boys' and girls' clubs. This bulletin is printed for us by The Twentieth Century Farmer as an evidence of their interest In and appreciation of the work of the boys' and girls' club in Nebraska. We appreciate the kind words they say for us and are especially grateful for their financial assistance in printing this bulletin.

     Any members who for any reason have failed to report how they are getting along with their work this year are requested to make a final report after receiving this bulletin. We are just as much interested In knowing the cause wily some have failed as to know of the success of others.

VAL KEYSER,          

Superintendent Farmers' Institutes, University of Nebraska.     

E. C. BISHOP,          

State Superintendent of Public Instruction. September 24, 1910.     

     Corn is raised for one thing--profit. It may have its fine points, it may be interesting to study, the ear may be beautiful, the plant even more so, but when all is said and done the object of all corn production is profit. Seed corn and show corn is for exactly the same thing, and the best seed ear is the ear that is the most profitable for your locality.

     There are four things that naturally come to one's mind when looking at an ear or sample of corn for either the show room or the planter box. First, "Will it grow?" Second, "Will it yield?" Third, "Will it ripen?" Fourth, "Does it show improvement?" If the person who is selecting the corn can satisfy himself on these four points he is justified in retaining the ear or the bushel of corn for show or seed purposes.

     The yield of an ear of corn is estimated by its size, its weight, the size of the germs, the filling of the butts and tips of the ears, the furrows between the rows and the size and condition of the cob. An ear from most sections of Nebraska should not exceed nine and one-half inches in length, and seven inches in circumference, although the location of the field in the state would influence this size considerably; for instance, in the northern part of the state one would expect a much smaller ear than in the southeastern corner.

     It is well to select as large an ear as can thoroughly mature in your locality. However, one should never sacrifice maturity for size of ear. The depth of kernel will, to a large extent, determine whether or not an ear will mature in the section In which it is grown. The depth of kernel In most sections of the state should not exceed one-half inch; however, here again the climatic condition and the location of the field in the state would be the determining factor. In selecting corn with good butts, and tips, bear in mind that it is not so necessary that the kernels extend over the ends of the ear, as that the corn should be of superior quality and uniform in size and shape, when compared with the kernels grown in the middle ear. Chaffy, starchy corn with tip caps that stick to the cob is always objectionable, both in the planter box and in the show room.

     Very little can be told as to whether or not an ear will grow by looking at the outside. The only method that can give us any definite authority on the subject is the germination box. Sappy or chaffy ears showing mold-spores or wrinkled backs on the kernels are always objectionable.

     One of the requirements of a good show sample is that it shows purity in the color of the cob and the grain. White corn should be free from yellow or red kernels, and should have a white cob. Yellow corn should be yellow throughout and have a red cob. Calico corn may have either a white or red cob but a mixed colored cob is preferred.

     The kernels should be of the same shape as well as of the same color, as irregular shaped kernels will not pass through the planter box and give an even drop. The rows should be straight as it shows a certain amount of selection and the kernels are usualy (sic) more nearly the same size. The indentation or roughness of the ear depends on the variety. Late maturing corn is as a rule deeply indented. The earlier maturing corns such as flint, squaw, and pop corn are not indented. One should take great pains is selecting corn to see that the tips are not covered with fine, smooth, hard, flinty kernels, as this is a sign of deterioration, or running out of the corn.

METHODS OF SELECTING SEED IN THE FIELD.

     If the seed corn planted on our farms last spring had been harvested before the freezes of the previous fall, Nebraska would be richer today by many thousands of dollars. The corn contained moisture, the early frosts swelled the kernels, breaking down and destroying the germs.

     Corn should be selected from the field in the fall, for several good reasons. For instance one should know something of the parentage of his seed. No farmer would think of buying an animal to head his dairy herd without inquiring into its ancestry. Besides many other important questions, he would ask whether or not the sire, dam, grand dam, etc., of such an animal were of a good milking strain. The "Ear to Row Test" conducted by many of the boys and girls of Ne-

braska this past season is the best known method of studying the parentage of our corn. However, many of us were not so situated that we could carry out this experiment and must therefore select our seed from a general field.

     In selecting seed corn from the field we have an opportunity to study the environment under which the corn was grown. There are many factors which contribute to, and take part in the production of an ear of corn. The physical condition of the soil, the fertility of the soil, amount of moisture present, kind of soil, that is clay, sand, subsoil, etc., influence the stand and yield.

     The corn grower should select seed ears from stalks that are of medium height and foliage. It should be a standing stalk with a good root system. The ear should hang at a medium height, have a rather short, medium sized shank, and droop at an angle of about sixty-five degrees. Such an ear is usually of medium maturity, is of the proper height to be husked with the least effort and hangs at such an angle that snow or water cannot enter beneath the husks. Ears that are born near the ground are usually early maturing ears. Ears that hang high

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© 2003 for the NEGenWeb Project by Ted & Carole Miller