University of South Carolina Libraries
CORN BRtED?RS 10 GOWPETE MRKCTIONS TO l\K FOl.LOWKI) IN ?iltF.AT CONTF.ST. Valuable l?rl/.4?'* Offered for Compe? tition In Corn Growing. Vndcr Rule* of Corn Breeders' Associa? tion?Suggestion* us to Land I*rcp aratlon. Selection of Scvd ami Treatment. Columbia. S. C.?Directions to co? operative corn breeder* have been iMued following the conference of members of the Corn Kreeders' Asso? ciation. Stat*' agricultural officials and United States I h>\ernment agents of the department of agriculture. These directions. which are signed by C. H. Kyle, assistant phlslologlst. are to be followed by the Corn Breed? ers' Association of planters In this State, and the results are expected to lead up to the State Corn Exposition to be held here next December. For the Exposition several valuable prisee will be offered, the State hav? ing appropriated $1.000 for the pur? pose v. Ith the understadlng that $4, ?#0 Is to be raised from those inter? ested In this work. For the corn breeders work there was an appropri? ation of |500 by the General Assem? bly. A Corn?<irow 1 ng State. South Carolina as a corn growing State Is making leaps. Commissioner Watson's 1909 report that Is now being sent out sums up the situation: ' The United States Government fig? ures of November 1st on the corn crop alone, which three years ago amounted In bushels to only about 17.600.000, was Increased In 1907 by over 6.000,000 bushels, and again In 1908 by about 3.600.000. being In that year 19,229,000. This year the corn Stop is already 37,041,000 bushels, and 88 per cent In quality, a quality nearly 4 per cent above that for the United States, and only a little less than the highest average, which is 88. S per cent for North Central States, east of the Mississippi. This Is an actual Increase In one year of practi? cally 8.000,900 bushels, ana nearly 20.000.000 In four years. And It has been the direct result of the Introduc? tion of proper cultural methods and agitation by the Federal and State Governments In cooperation. But those figures, as strong as they are and as Indicative as they are of the capa? bilities of the soli and climatic condi? tions don't tell the whole of the sig? nificant story. In all the strictly South Atlantic States the 1909 corn crop shows an Increase of only 13, 164.200 bushels, and of this total the smallest State of them all shows 8. 000.000 bushels, only 6,000,000 rep? resenting all the others. In the year also South Carolina shows 8.000.000 of the 98.666.000 bushels Increase shown In the nation's crop, or a lit? tle over one-twelfth. The real sig? nificance comes In the Increased yield per acre. In the whole Jnlted States there was a decrease between 190S and 1909 of .8 of a bushel per acre. In South Central States a decrease of 4.6 bushels: and In tho North Central States, west of the Mississippi, there was an Increase of 4.5 bushels per acre, and In the South Atlantic States of .1 of a bushel. In South Carolina the Increase was 2.6 bushels per aore over 1908 and practically six bushels per a< re over her ten-year average yield per acre. Tho work of In? creasing the corn yield per acte haa, too. only Just gotten under full swav. Farm demonstration work was begun only three years ago, and not a farm under that work has ?hown a yield of less than thirty bushels: this year they are running from 35 to 130 bushels, and one 18 year-old boy has recorded, under offi? cial Inspection, a yield of one acre ot 161 1-2 bushels." ( . : :. ? ontcst In a few days enmissioncr Watson will have completed the announce? ment for 1910 In the corn growing cr,f. ;t I.;?q year there was great Interest In this contest and already there have i.een received by the de? partment manv letters relative to thU year's contest. The first prise WSJ nron by John It. Dingle, of Summer ton. who made a total yield In bush? els of Ks.7. the second by A. B. I'sh er. of Marlbon?. J. M. Moss, of St. Matthew's. WOS the fl\ a< re ? SSJ?J it, Out W? st UlSf print pictures In the maguxlne* of a bushel to the acre man. while In this State a boy raised last year 162 1-2 bushels on an acre. The following are the direction lamied this morning, which will be of most Interest to farmers throughout the State. 0 Foundation stock. "Adaptation?Select seed that has been grown under conditions of soil and climate like those In which you expect to plant It. If such may be found. "Mixture? Mixture In seed should be avoided If possible, as It will likely hinder progress. If. however, a choice must b* made between a nat? ive corn that H more or less mixed, yet of long standing and productive and a p'ire but radical Introduction of unknown possibilities, tho prefer? ence should be given to tho mixed 'The Variety?With equal adapta? tion and purity, the possibilities for im? provement seem about the same for all varities. Select Seed In Field. "Kar Characters no Indicator?So far as known the appearance of an ear indicates nothing relative to Its producing power, provided it is sound and well-matured. Select in the Field?Seed should be taken only from such parts of the field as have an even and about the usual stand required. Ears should be chosen from those plants that give heaviest yields as compared with those neighboring. "Stalks that arc broken below the ear, diseased or otherwise undesirable, should be avoided. "Select Early?Seed should be se? lected as soon as mature, without waiting for It to dry ovt. Treatment and storage "Prying?Upon bringing seed from field It should at once be hung or laid up. so that one ear will not rest upon another, and where there is a go id circulation of air. Precaution should also be taken that nothing damage the ears. "Storing?When thoroughly dry. the seed should at once be placed in barrels or boxes that ma)' be closed tightly. If there are any signs of weavll in the corn or storage recepta? cle at this time, a few tablespoon fuls of carbon bisulphide should be put In a dish and set upon the corn, and the lids tightly fitted for from 24 to 28 hours. The lids should then be raised and the poisonous gas allow? ed to escape. For each bushel of corn thus stored a pound of moth balls or powdered napthalene should be inclosed. The lids should be tight? ly closed at all times, except when examining the seed or wroking with it. "Receptacles for Storing?Alcohol barrels or kerosine barrels that have been flamed Inside to dispose of oil are very good receptacles in which to store seed, if they have lids that can be made to fit tightly. "Heavy goods' boxes may be readi? ly made into good fumigating and storage boxes by fixing a tight-fitting lid, calking the cracks and protecting the corners and edges from mice and rats with strips of tin. A lining of heavy tar paper (such as used for siding and roofing,) may also add to the efficiency of such a box. Tost a Large Number of Selections "The grower's chance for finding the exceptionally valuable individu? als is increased in proportion to the number of tests that he makes. He should test at least 50 selections, and 100 would be much better. Seed Must Have Strong Vitality. 'Only ears having bright, undamag? ed kernels throughout should be re? tained. The Test Plot. "The test plot has for Its object the accurate comparison of the productive pOWOf of different ears of corn. "It should be located on land as Mtrly uniform throughout as Is pos? sible to secure. The chances for uni? form results may be greatly increas? ed by unusually deep thorough pre? paration of the land. "The pb.t should grow one row f rom the seed of each ear tested, and the ear and its row should be* given the same number, which should be <ar?fully recorded and preserved for further reft n nee. "Kadi ear should be represented by 60 plants In as many hills. "One plant from a sub-standard . uf, should lie grown in each hill with those to be tested. "The hills of corn snould be plant? ed by hand and In a definite manny, with two plants in a hill?one a sub kandard the other a plant from tat being tested. ? Tor tbe sake of general uniformity let the first plant in the hill, that is, the plant nearest the row ends at which the work will naturally begin, always be from the sub-standard seed, and the plant from seed to be tested always second in the hill and fron six to eight inches from the sub-standard. Sub MandanU. "A sub-standard is seed taken from I single plant* It may come from one or more tin tin case of prolific corn) ears rnusual care Is taken to discard any kernels of doubtful vi? tality. Bach sub-standard is planted in tan different rows with ears to be tests*), Allowance should also be made for the planting Of two other rows In connection With ? standard, as will be explained later. A letter Ca, b. c. etc.) must be given each sub? standard and its exact location in the test plot accurately r? < orded, "The sub-standards haw- for their object the correction of differences In the >ie|ds of the TOWS that are due to soil variation, so tha* the variations in the producing power of the tan t< I may be distinguished. "The sub standards in Connection with standard, if proportly selected, Diay also asm as a means of deter? mining the ptogrss of the work. Standards, "iti order that all the tested aalen? tloni Riay be compared with o single Standard, and hence with each other, all of the sub-standards are compar? ed with another selection called the standard. The sub-standards In this planting are the second members of tho hills, und the standard is the first | number. Two plantings of this sort | should he made-?preferably one on either end of the plot. In case one of these tests should be destroyed or otherwise made unreliable, the key to the season's work will still not have been lost. In case both tests are good, the average results should be used. , "The standard seed is selected In the same way as that for the sub-stand? ards, but should be sufficient for planting in twice as many rows. (Not less than 1,000 good kernels.) "It Is desirable, for possible future plantings and particularly for the standard selection, to have as much seed from any one plant as is possi? ble to obtalr; hence in prolific corn more than one ear should be saved from a single stalk and the total amount regarded as one ear. Seed Used for Sub-Standards. "The breeder should choose hli sub-standard and standard seed so that It will represent the unselecUd foundation seed or such other seed of the community as he would other? wise have to use. "This seed should be taken from stalks favored by unusual space. The occasional isolated stalk in a poor stand should be the ideal. "This method of selecting in the field will prevent the voluntary or Involuntary choosing for high or low ylelders, and at the same time should give Individuals with the maxi? mum number or kernels. Preparation for Planting. "Preparing Seed.?Each ear should be given a number. The number should be written on pieces of card board, or very tough paper, about one half inch square. A six-penny wire nail should then be forced through the label into the butt of the ear, so that there will be no danger of the label becoming separated from the ear. Where there have been two or more ears saved from the same stalk, they should be given the samo num? ber. (In this case It Is well to shell all the seed together and put In a cloth bag.) "Sufficient seed should then be taken from each ear to plant the re? quired number of hills In Its row. It should be put in a small paper bag bearing the ear number. The ker? nels should all be given individual in? spection to be sure that none are in any way undesirable. "Remnants?The remnants of the ears that are left, after taking enoug-h for planting, should be returned to the storage and carefully preserved. Preparation of the Land?The land should have received ail necessary preparation previous to time of plant? ing, and if the methods of prepar tion does not Indicate the location of the rows they should be Indicated by some form of a marker or by a cord at time of planting. "A furrow may be opened for the reception of the seed, but, In that case, it should not be op?. Ted long enough ahead to permit it to dry out before the seed can be planted. If it is allowed to dry out the stand may be imperfect and will be irreg? ular in the time of coming up. "Distributing the Bags of Seed? Before beginning to plant it is well to distribute the bags of seeds accor? ding to their number upon the proper rows. Planting. "Two persons should drop the seed of each row?one always dropping the standard seed, and the other al? ways dropping the seed to be com? pared. Only one kernel should be dropped in the hill by each. Both ker? nels should be dropped at the same time and cover* d by a third person. "Hand Planters?There are small planters on the market that can be carried and operated with one hand, and their hoppers are replaced by an open funnel-shaped tube?easily made Of tin by anyoin?may be used by the droppers so as eliminate the man with the hoe. "These planters will give a more uniform depth of planting than where a hoe is used, and there need be no danger of a dry hill as they make their own hole and cover the seed. "The soil over each kernel should be given pressure from the foot be? fore leaving it -dry or open soil should be given more pressure than moist soil that Is liable to bake. Harvesting, Corn must be Dry?ah rows of a test plot, and sometimes all plants in a row, may red ripen and dry out to? gether, Particularly will the large cobbed, thick ears be slow in becoming well cured. For this reason sufficient time should be allowed for even the latest and largest ears to become air dry; otherwise extra Wolghti due to moisture may, in cal? culating results, be mistaken for weight of grain, and an Individual be r tnlned for future planting that may be particularly undesirable because of its lateness or tardiness in curing. "Perfect Hills?In securing com psrlSOnS Only SUCh hills as contain one productive stalk from sub-stand? ard see.I and one productive stalk from the seed heilig tested ale coll sldered, Before marking the corn the number of these perfect hills In a row must be recorded, "Yields from Rows?Two men should be equipped with bags slung from the shoulders. One should gather and husk only the corn from the first plant In each hill (sub-stand? ard) and the other should gather and busk only the corn from the sec? ond plant in eaoh hill (tested plants.) and the work on each hill should be done simulanteously. The corn thus gathered should be weighed separate? ly and the weights recorded with the proper row number. "Yeld per Stalk?The yield per stalk should then be determined for both the sub-standards and the test? ed plants. "Calculated Standards?To secure the calculated standard for each row the difference between the sub-stand? ards and the standard (selection used in comparing all the sub-standards) should be e.dded to or taken away from the sub-standard, according as the case demands. For example, sup? pose that the standard had produced .062b of a pound (one ounce) more than sub-standard (a.) this difference would then be added to the stalk yield of the sub-standard in each of the first ten rows and the results would be recorded under the head-1 ing "Calculated Standard." If the standard yield had been .0625 of a pound leas than the sub-standard, the I difference would have been taken awuy from the standard, and the re- I suits placed under the same heading. I "Difference between Calculated I Standard and Tested Plants?under the last heading of the record-sheet, I we simply fill in the difference be-1 tween the tested plants and the cal- I culated standard. Where the tested plants have yielded more than the calculated standard the difference Is written with a plus sign before it, un? less with a minus sign before it. These differences represent the true relative values of the selections test? ed and those largest differences with the plus sign before them indicate tho selections that should be planted and propagated pure. Remnants to Retain for Future Test. "When the comparative values of the selections have been determined as above described, all of those rem? nants should be discarded whose low productiveness bars them from being classed with the twenty per cent that gave highest yields. Tho high yield? ing twenty per cent should still be retained for another year's test. Total Worth of Season's Selections. "The total worth of the season's selections should be determined by substracting the average stalk yield of the sub-standards and the stand? ard from the average stalk yield of the sub-standards and the standard from the average stalk yield of all the selections tested. Second Year's Work. Test Plot. "Contents?The second year's work should consist of a test similiar to that of the first year. It should con? tain i venty per cent of the previous year's selections, and enough new se? lections to complete the test's requir? ed number. "Numbering the Selections?The new selections shall be numbered sim? ply 1, 2, 3, etc, as In the past season, and should be planted in rows of the same number. The previous breeding plot selections shall be given the num? ber of the row on which they are now planted, but this number shall also be accompanied by the old row num? ber, written afterward. Suppose the first old selection this year is planted in row 1, and the last year it was planted in row 3 3, its complete num? ber this year will then be 1?33. These, old selections should be so ar? ranged that one will occur in each of the first two rows of each sub? standard. Breeding Plot. "Object?The breeding plot is for the crossing and preparation of the high yielding strains found in the previous year's test plot. "Isolation?This plot should be so isolated that the pollen from other corn can not be blown upon it. "Land?The land does not neces? sarily have to be uniform, but should be of average fertility and well culti? vated! so that as much seed can be I grown as is possible. "Seed Used?The breeding plot Is planted with the remnant seed of the four highest producers of the prev? ious year's test. In making this planting, all of each remnant will be used, except that which is required for planting a row in the test plot. "Numbering-?In the breeding plot the selections are designated by a To? man numeral following the previous year's test plot number, "Planting The four selections arc planted in separate rows, but the first choice must be alternated with the rows of the other three selections, so that it may nbed its pollen upon all Preventln j In-Breeding -The fol ? lowing diagt.m. Indicates plan for planting and detasseling breeding plot so as to secure cross pollenatlon; Plan for Crossing Remnants. 21-11 Second choice?detasseled. :: : l First choice ?not detasseled. 12-1 I l Third choice detasseled. 3.1-1 first choice -not detasseled. 7-1V Fourth choice- detasseled. "Kates of Seeding ---It should be ob? served that. If the remnants are all about the same size, the first choice seed will have to b planted Just half as thick as that of the other selections, because it is planted upon just tiwce as much row. "Duplicating?In the case it is not convenient or otherwise advisable to plant all seed in a single long set of rows, the set may be duplicated so as to shorten It to any desired length. In duplicating, however, care should be taken to maintain the same rela? tion between the different selections, and the same should all be recorded SO that no mistake will be made in detasseling and harvesting. Better pollenation will probably be secured by thus duplicating the sets. "Detasseling?When this corn he gins tasseling, it should be visited daily, and any tassels on the rowr from the second, third and fourth choice selections should be removed before they have begun to scatter pollen. "Caution?Pull out the tassels carefully so as not to break the stalks or injure the leaves more than is necessary. Havcstlng Test Plot. "The test plot should be harvested, and the results recorded in the same way as in the past season. Harvesting Breeding Plot. "Selections for Third Year's Tes\ Plot?Enough selections should te made from each of the four strains represented In the breeding plot to plant ten per cent of the next sea? son's test plot; that is, if the test plot shall accomodate 50 selections, then five should be made from each of the breeding plot strains. "Selections for General Planting? All of the remaining corn from the detasseled rows that is suitable for seed should be gathered and saved for planting an improved general field the following season. No seed from the rows not detasseled should be used for this field. Amount of High Productive Seed From Breeding Plot. If the work up to this time has been properly done there should be of this high producing seed sufficient to plant at least ten acres. Another year this can be multiplied sufficiently to furnish enough of this seed for even the largest farm or plantation. Mixed Seed for General Planting. Before planting the seed saved from the breeding plot for general planting, should be thoroughly mixed together. Continuous Work. "Test Plot a Court: From year to year the test plot should be made a court in which the best from the un selected fields, the previous test plot, the breeding plot, and the fields of Improved seed grown from ears that have already passed the test, must meet yearly and stand solely upon their merits. "Best Blood Transmitted by Rem? nants Only?The quality of produc? tiveness should be allowed to pass on into the improved field only by means of remnants of highest yield? ing ears. "Present High Performance Re? quired: No matter what the pedigree may show, the highest record of pres? ent performance should be require! of each ear before allowing its prog? eny to enter the improved general field, and then only after precaution is taken to prevent in-breeding as pres? cribed above under "breeding plot." "Adopting a Different Variety - The test plot court should be kept open to all seed that promise better yields; but should selections from a distinctly different variety be tested unusual assurance from repeated taken up and the old strain discard taken up and the old starin discard? ed. C. H. KYLE, "Assistant Physiologist." Bronchial Tubes All Stuffed Up. "While a resident of Washington, D. C, I suffered continually and in? tensely with a bronchial trouble that was simply terrible to endure. I would have sp'dls that T could hardly breathe. T would choke up. till up in my throat and bronchial tubes, and the doctoring that! did and the reme? dies used were of no benefit to me whatever. T heard about Booth's Hyomel being bo beneficial in catar rhal and bronchial affections and procured an outfit. I received re? lief from the first by its use. 1 con? tinued with it and reeeiv? d a cure. It is about two years since T have suffered at all from my former trouble.?Mrs. It. L. Pannell, 4<u x. 'Augusts Street, staunton . Va., Mandl l'8, I 909. Hyomel is guaranteed by J. F. W. DeLorme to cure catarrh, croup, bronchitis, coughs, colds and sore throat or money back. a complete Hyomel (pronounced Hlgh-o-me) outfit costs $1.00 at drug? gists everywhere. This includes a hard rubber pocket inhaler and bot? tle of Hyomel; extra bottles Hyomel cost-; 50 cents. 2-7-16-W-3-23. ?Fully nine out of every ten cases of rheumatism is simply rheumatism of the muscles due to cold or damp, or chronic rheumatism, neither of which require any internal treatment. All that is needed to afford relief is the free application of Chamberlain's Liniment. (Jive it a trial. You are certain to be pleased with the quick relief which it affords. Sold by W. W. Sibert. News and Courier: Aman with butcher antecendents always will cut I up. $100 Reward, $100. The readers of this paper will be pleased to learn that there is at least one dreaded disease that science has been able to cure in all its stages, and that is Catarrh. Hall's Catarrh Cure is the only positive cure now known to the medical fraternity. Catarrh be? ing a constitutional disease, requires a constitutional treatment. Hall's Ca? tarrh Cure is taken internally, acting directly upon the blood and mucous surfaces o fthe system, thereby de? stroying the foundation of the dis? ease, and giving the patient strength by building up the constitution and assisting nature in dfeing its work. The proprietors have so much faith in its curative powers that they offer One Hundred Dollars for any case that It fails to cure. Send for list of testimonials. Address F. J. CHENEY & CO., To? ledo, O. Sold by all Druggists, 75c. Take Hall's Family Pills for consti? pation. 3-4-lm. The Mills Place near Mayesville. fine dwelling, as good land-as any, 14 horse farm open, a real bargain, price $35 an acre, terms easy. Lot saw timber and wood can be sold readily. Don't wait or you will miss the real Real Estate Bargain now on the market. Possession Jan. 1st. Small payment down secures this ele? gant plantation. Also A Lot of City property, at asacrifice for qnick sale. J. J. BRITTON, JR. REAL ESTATE 108 N. MAIN ST. PHONE m Are You Lookinq for a Position? We can offer you good Paying Employment that you will enjoy and at home. Write to-day \ddrtm The Bntteiick Publishing Co. Butter lck Building, New York, N. Y. Foley's Kidney Pills What They Will Do for You They will cure your backache, strengthen your kidneys, cor? rect urinary irregularities, build up the worn out tissues, and eliminate the excess uric acid that causes rheumatism. Pre? vent Bright's Disease and Dia bates, and restore health and strength. Refuse substitutes. SIEBERTS DRUG STORE. H. L. B. WELLS, ATTORNEY AT LAW, Money to Loan on any Good Security. Notary Public With Seal. Oflice 109 N. Main St. PATENTS procured and defended.Send model, drawing orph< *o.ior?xpert hmvo ami free r. po t. Free Rdvlce, how to obtain BSSOBtSi trade mail." oopprlgte* on-., (n all countries. Business direct tvltk Washington saves tirte%\ Won* V and often the patent. Patent and Infringement Practice Exclusively. Write <>r BOM t<? uh at 623 Ninth Street, cpp United States P&tent Office,| washington, d. c. 8c i. Trade Marks Designs Copyrights Ac. AnTono sending a slietch and description may quickly ascertain our opinion free nhstltSC an Invention is probably p ucut able. Communica? tions strictly ennilde.utlal. HANDBOOK on Patents e.Mit tree. Oldest Hkreiicv for securing patent*. Pntents tain n thronen Mann ? Co? recelre rp(c\at notice, wlthoat charge, lutbe Scientific American, A handsomeir Illustrated weekly. I.ar**?*t cir? culation of any s<-tentiuc Vunml. Terms.*:* a year | four months, $L Sold by all newsdealers. MUNN t?JStffm^Smu?M Ygr Branch Office. 625 F St, Washington, D. C