wc?m i 9 IMPROVING THE YIELD OF CO Address of Frank G. Tarbox, Seed Corn Selection Day, I caster, Monday March 6, 1! Improving the Yield of Co It is hardly necessary for to tell you how important i for us to increase the yielc corn in South Carolina. For past ten years our average y per acre has been only bushels. If this average 1-1 * iHKen irom our best farmers out improved land then it wc bel^Ueh higher. There h been numbers of reported h yields made by members of corn clubs and others, all them being made on impro land and on highly fertili land. To me the question of proving our corn yields at p: ent lies much in soil impovem as in securing highly bred s< Our improved soils will m from 35 to 50 bushels per f now, without any better s< Our soils, taken as a whole poor, and unless we fertili our crop the average yield wc be only about one half of w it now is. In 1914 South Carolina pb ed 1,975,000 acres in corn, ] ducing 36,538,000 bushels, or average of 18.5 bu. per acre.r state of Wisconsin planted 725,000 acres, producing 69,8? 000 bu. or an average of 10.5 per acre South Carolina plr ed 250,000 acres more than V consin, and yet made 33.324. bu. less corn. There are nr ably several things which ca such a difference, but th which are most important to are. the soil, the labor, and seed. Wisconsin has a rich gin soil, far richer than we can e make ours, and this one th is probably the chief reason the -high yields made in t state. Tf we take fertilizers of Sn?ith Carolina where wo our iwrmers ne? Our high yie are made by enriehening lands and by the intelligent of commercial fertilizers, of the high yields reported the past few years are the dir result of improved soil coi tions. and fertilizers. She we discontinue the use of cc ^ mercial fertilizers our state erape would scarcely be one Y of what it now is. Our f' step then is to improve our la Cotton is our money c^on. : it is but natural for this reai that more care and attentior given to that crop. We can borrow money on corn as can on cotton. The negro t ant knows it. and so why d he want to put in any extra ti on his corn. The result is t the best is given cotton, the best la the best working1, and the m fertilizer. Corn is either n lected or is put on the poor land. Tt is often allowed to gr up in weeds and grass. Cons ering the number of negro fai ers in the state, can we be otl than surprised that our aver; yield per acre is no larger? W all of our farmers white, tl we could expect to see our yie increased. The state of Wise sin has no negro farmer to c tend with, and they pay mi attention to the corn crop, b< as to planting, and cultivati as well as to seed selection, is true that it is more of a s pie crop with them than w us. We should take steps make the negro farmer pay mi attention to his corn crop. mrrssijiy we snouin see that y#* good seed, plants it on v pmnnred land, and then woi it as it should be. Moisture is the final contr ing factor in crop product! The most productive soils, matter how well cultivated, highly bred the corn, cam make a crop without wat South Carolina as a rule has a pie rain-fall to make a good ci of corn. As the rain-fall vari and as it is distributed throw out *hr season, so will the yi V*rv We, as a rule, have plei 0r min nnd by building up r roM- can easily double < ptvy"^* vield. very few variet of "o'ry our state, that c ' - 1 e bo Woll bred. It tal fr~~" * - 1 hard work to iret hit j,, v-0 * -orrj. Marlboro, Willia f* r*TS o?" ' fl.\rrick are probal 1h? v-^'oties which have rece rd attention. According jri'^^nlion received from 1 <*0""*" acronta Marlboro is m? wid^'v **rown. There seems be no one variety predomin THKLANCA ! Ing in any one county. In a great most desirable RN. i many cases the variety is a lo- raising pigs, sc cal one, which has b^n grown larger and moi Jr., for years without any eifoil at than others, i ..an- selection or improvement. In are stronger a: Ulfi ?]l('h ?PptinnB \xra uhnnlH ^otrolnn *!? < > ,.4u "V U..WU.U uvrvivp mail Ullicr?f ell strains of well bred corn and ex- such stalks 1 rn. elude mongrel seed. As long as yields. As the me so many varieties ae grown in but small, wea t is a section it will be very difficult is gotten rid 1 of to develop and to maintain a va- ears which dc the riety of well bred corn. The small producing pow< ield farmer cannot do very much in with. To do 1 16.2 the way of breeding corn, as he tion and a tes1 was has not sufficient area for an lected must be and isolated breeding patch. Such No corn she >uld work must necessarily be done for seed until ave. on the large farms. As soon is a good plan 1 ligh as a variety has been started field before ti the in a section and steps taken to selection and st of keep it pure and well bred, then stalks and beco ved all farmers should grow that va- the type to be ized viety so as to make it easier to means decide 1 im- keep it pure. Live stock men stick to it. 1 res- always advise a system of com- stalk will be oi lent munity co-operation in raising ation. Then th Bed. any kind of live stock, and we that particular ake in growing corn should likewise danger of selec icre establish a co-operative system which have ha< Bed. for establishing a strain of corn, than others, are All of the breeding work with be done. Select zed the corn should be in the hands which have an i tuld of a large farmer who has the lect from the ; hat intelligence and facilities for do- not from the 1 i ing the work. To him we should should be stronj int- look for good seed for that sec- er than narrov )ro. tion. pering gradu an Tn selecting a variety to start pround to the t The with, the best local variety should be ot i 1,- should be used. Seed brought in Lls^ l?og enouj f>2,- from any great distance will take "ar turn dov bu. two or three years to get ac- broaches niatu mt- climatized. If the local corn is stalks should /is. very badly mixed, or is not very 1 'H' e:lt*s on su 000 good then outside corn can be U{dl.v high up, ob- brought iii to get a start, but mor(' diMicu't 1 use where possible a local strain 'taking the st chmilrl Iw ^ blown down In i im variety which will give us the ^Ittnint shouM the ' most corn, whether it be a pro- stalks wit jlific one or not. Once the vari- n shoulder 1 cial' ety is chosen do not chancre. De- wot overlook tn ver cide on the variety, and the type, Produce no coi inrr and stick to it. ' h(7 merely u - * rr. r * moisture whicr for 1 here are very few farmers . hnt who do their selecting: in the '! U1( ! ?'l"! out field. Far too many of them 7? a* * ? uld take their seed from the crib. i i W ;lds We must remember that to breed ' 4, ', M.rs!',(H our good corn, and to make intelli- 1 7 1! " , , 1!> use gent selections we must deal , ,<(/ (V All -With individuals. By this I in | mean individual plants in the ' ' '' ! 11 ect ; field, as there is the place to 11 aVT?'''VlV' idi- make selections and not in the , ,, ,c 81 uld crib. All selections should he J'f'" ?' ,.al >m- made before a single stalk of / ' VA 8 av- corn has been cut or a hale of . *.f .' lalf fodder has been pulled. This is (h; . j ; ' irst necessary for t?o reasons, here. be exliminc<, ,,, nd. ditv and envionment. Tn inak- .u... . . . ind intr crib selections we cannot tell sh() son whether the ear is better on. ac- vent?ated> rooll , is .count of its environment or tR , . not whether that particular ear is . we better because of inhe.-it.-d qual- do |t" dlm en-|!t:es We want those ears, from t ? th f oes. .talks which show that their , f , t me pood qualities are due to here- t| * hat dity rather than to environment. ;f to All selections should be made . net. from stalks frown under the g f ^ ost same conditions or as near to it epr- 'j as possible. When we select ears , f" . r ? -v est from tfood vigorous stalks in the .? ?.c n.? nes, ow field we know that they are good , 0 ?av lid- on account of their inherited e'ln, v .1^ 1 ,nrlos m- qualities and not so much on ac- s, s fe ype her count of environment. No se- shap* of ear an ige lections should be made unless anc1 ,then w,tn ere the stalks from which the ears ' :f P* len are pulled have had the same xrr. ! ' one , Ids chance as the others. Extra on- space between the plants, due to c. . , , a on- poor stand, will make larKe ears. " fent re These we do not want, for it is lengt 3th due to the environment of that TV . u i on, particular stalk. It has received l re Wl11 be J It i more food, more sunlight, and L " ! ta- more moisture than others, and * f ' * v'?j ith iit will naturally produce larger in' examininc to|and better ears. . . *? minp STER NEWS. MARCH 10, 1916 characters. In Now comes the time to test ime sows will give out each ear in the field. Each *e vigorous litters ear should be numbered. The J * * Some corn plants number of ears to be used in the ; j m nd more vigorous ear to row test will vary with j [ 1 ad the ears from the width of the rows and the *\ ivill give larger number of ears one wishes to ' \ sow which gives plant. After each ear has been * \ ik litters of pigs numbered, nubb and tip all of I ? HTI-I of, so should all them. Then shell off one half ? not show good!the rows from each ear, keep*rs be done away jng the seed of each separate.; ;J this, field selec- Put it into a small bag and num-j - * t of each ear se- ber it to correspond to the ear done. from which it came. The re-! 1 >uld be gathered mainder left on the cob shouldj o it is mature. It he carefully stored and kept ? k ,n* n irn tVifnnffVi .. ? 4:1 ii? ' ' ' ? v.^juinii tin* crop nas Deen narvest-| me to make the ed. The seed from each ear , n?i_ udy the different should be planted in a row to ,oar( me familiar with i itself, on uniform land, under M selected. By all i average conditions, and all jariv-1 on the type and , en the same treatment. Plant- > rhe character ofiing should be done by hand, as ur first consider- in this way a more uniform dis,e environment of ,tance between hills will be obstalk. There is tained. About two grains to the $ \ tting from stalks hill should be sufficient. Thei J 1 a better chance rows should all be the same This should not length, and the corn thinned to j ; only from stalks the same number of plants per even chance. Se- row. As the corn approaches' .;^ average land and maturity a careful study should aest. The stalks be made of each row and notes * g, with wide rath- made of any which look prom- $ v leaves, and ta- ising At maturity each row * ally from the must be gathered separately and + assel. The shank weighed to see which row yield- 4. nedium size and ed best. Care should be taken v trh to permit the that each row have the same vn as the ear ap- numtn r of stalks otherwise one *' rity. Tall, wea.k i liable ^o misinterpret the re- " y? be discarded, as uli . Only the h'ghe t yield. I ch stalk-- are us- inc rows are *0 b^ saved and all 5 making the corn the ears of the row compared to v to pull. ;>s well as the parent ear which was tored y.yi^ ;alk more easily away in Mir spring. As soon as '? & i the wind. An if has been determined which 4 I be made to se- row-: gave the most satisf ictorv 4- ? h ears not move ''It both as to yield, on .j. ligh. One should formitv and trueness to type To ic suckers. .They j then those ears from wh'ch the -jj 'n worth while, seed came must be saved for ^ ise up food and planting, in an isolated pi nee t 1 otherwise could jwxt spring. The others may bo 'r . ng the vigor of thrown away or the seed saved + le size of the ear. f'*om the highest vieldnvr raw: T as much covn for the general crop. v ? ted than will be; The object in saving half of t 1 l'opl corn is to be cut each ear is on account of the 7 ".the fodder pull- corn getting badly mixed in the| % stalks should be field with poorer yielding corn. 4 P corn pulled when One row may yield at the rat< 41. of 20 hu. ner acre while the row; ^ elected corn has right next to it may yield at I id taken to the the rate of 50 bu. per acre. This T TJi, still much to be pollen from the low yieldingj -T ly must we see rows will fertilize the plants of 4. 1 care of through the high yielding row and so t each ear must instead of having the high yield refully for a fur- ing seed we planted, it will be ______ ir selection. T4 crossed with a poorer yielding id in a dry, well strain. And so it is necessary n out of reach o'' for us to keep one half of each 2, and watched ear until we see how it produces, that the weevils The remnants of the high re. It is well to yielding ears must be planted in s in a tight box separate rows as before, and at hem before put- tasT'lin0* Hwo fhn * -< v, and at inter- (j '* ?.? v> -u* ? ? >. / iry, to keep out! j. , r one 1 ' ' ' f I the .i. "I . . "... ihatJ .. A iik tune eacn ear tuo oicedinf natch bo at. least r studied and all 40 rods from other corn, in orthrown out, only dor that it does not receive pol- ^ First select the Ion from other corn. A more t nearly repre-, careful study should be made q wanted, as to of each row than before and a d type of kernel, ptPl more riprid selection made, this ear in our Selections should be made for all the others the next year's breedinpr patch ( ;. a time, until a only from the tasseled plants; >er have been se- of the highest yielding rows. See the work easy, lections should be made as be.i a wide board, of fore, taking the same points hill to spread the to consideration. Enough plants i should be used, should be selected to furnish sufa wide variation ficient ears for the breeding of the ears, but patch the following year. The ry from the ehos- rest of the seed may then be han possible. nicked over and that from the : the ears more host rows nlanted in the increase e several points patch. Ry the third year one id. First, true- should have seed for sale. Each rrr hape, length and year the best ears from the best ear; size of the plants of the highest yielding ape of the grain, rows should be selected for the he ear should be breeding patch. id gently taper-j The remnant system of the o tip. The rows 0ar to row test and the detasselivith the least i ting of one half of each row at * ce between the alternate ends is the best way to A arth should be of obtain good seed. By this methor better. The ofj vv0 obtain seed which has not ma>. n. e wedge-.shaped, ieen crossed by pollen from poor fM ? p. and with a ??rs. MM ot tno ears | "|o ther rough or Wanted in the breeding patch, irs with deep .T?.do V-SsVu'Sphw so we must improve oualand,: il study has been improve our seed and in some - Aodam ar it is ready to vav encourage the negrd farm. Natures o r planting. If cr to pay more Mtentiqn td h?s| the seed looks com crop. By doing .this wej ^ , ion test of each can grow more corn and better j ade. core. * ? . - cioseiy mere ai oro i Improving Corn by the Ear to to |)e consider If i Row Test- ness to type, si he. The importance of selecting weight of the >'ell|good seed corn and taking good cob; size and sh rk* care of it cannot be over estima. The shape of tl ted. Experiments show that a cylindrical ai oil- well bred corn suited to its cli- jng from butt t on. matic conditions will produce straight and 1 no from 10 to 100 per cent, moro arn0unt of spat or than seed corn now used by the rows. The lent lot average famer. Rich lands, a good average er. thorough preparation, and good grains should b m- cultivation are very important, thick and plum rop but no soil will produce the best smooth dent ra es, | yield without good seed. Most shrunken. Et rh of our leading farmers have al- grains give the eld ready leaned to pay more atter- Qf COm to cob ity tion to careful seed selection, are too sharplj >ur and. have as a result of it in- are usually loos >ur creased their yields. few grains shou To be able to make the best each ea? tt> see ies, selections we pius't know some- space Ijetweeh an I thing of the parents of the ears, rows near the c< re making com. Our object is to for any reason to select the best and give them bad a gerrninat at- a tryout to see which have the ear should be m 7 )UR DIFFERENT LINES I J' ?^____ IE BEST GROCERIES THAT j| o 5 6 MONEY CAN BUY' Ij 5 6 ** 5 6 jles, Lime, Cement, Ceiling, Flooring, Weather? ?? ding. 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