REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS

OF THE

Indiana Corn Growers' Association.

[Extracts of opening remarks at meeting of Corn Growers at State House, January 5, 1903.]

Your presence here this morning signifies that the interest in the Corn Growers' Association is up-to-date. And why shouldn't it be, situated as we are in the midst of the corn belt; yes, in Indiana, a State that by its record of 1902 as a corn-growing State ranks among the first in so far as quality is concerned?

In your deliberations here today let me ask that the discussion be spirited and courteous and that upon this, the eve of an important era in the history of corn breeding, let there be much gained in a coming together of this nature by the best corn growers of the State. We have upon our program some able speakers on corn improvement besides, as listeners, men who have surely done their part as promoters of good, pure seed corn. I refer you to Cleve, Overstreet, Davis, Whitesides, Riley, Coleman, McMahan and Alexander, and many others you will hear from ere we adjourn.

We believe that the adoption of the score card has done more to elevate the standard of seed corn in our State than any one thing possible to bring to bear upon the average corn raiser, for in every instance where corn is exhibited, the fact that some one in that community has become familiar with the use of the same, and his exhibit is much nearer the ideal than is his neighbors, who is not familiar with the benefits of his experience, proves its worth.

In calling to your attention the importance of a successful organization I wish to say that corn is king, and when raised and fed upon our own farms of Indiana to improved cattle, hogs, sheep and horses, is it not high time that we set ourselves about trying to raise a corn that will yield sixty pounds or more to the bushel so that it may be made a profitable crop to grow, instead of being grown in a haphazzard way without any regard to kind and quality, and much of the time at a loss so far as labor and from a financial point is concerned. Let me again ask that you remain during the session and give us your time and ear and join us in anything of interest that may not be made clear by the speakers.

INDIANA CORN GROWERS' ASSOCIATION.

461

THE HOW AND THE WHY IN THE CULTIVATION OF CORN.

The preparation of the seedbed should receive careful consideration; not only its depth, but the texture and the distribution of manure and humus-making material from top to bottom.

A seedbed seven inches to nine inches deep will pay any year, and particularly in a dry season.

If the subsoil is too near the top for such deep plowing it will pay to go a little deeper each year, plowing under plenty of straw, weeds or coarse manure to make it loose.

To get this material well mixed with the soil, it is often advisable to use a sharp disc harrow before the plow. When thoroughly harrowed there will be no clods in the bottom of the furrow too deep to be pulverized after the plowing is done.

Disking before plowing will also prevent evaporation from the surface and the consequent drying of the soil before it can be plowed.

Having a thoroughly pulverized, moist seedbed it is desirable on most soils to plant in shallow furrows three feet six inches to three feet ten inches apart. If planted in furrows the roots will start deeper and the gradual filling of the furrows will prepare the plant to better withstand both drought and wind. Moreover, the weeds can be more easily con

trolled by this method.

The first and often the second cultivation is with a harrow or weeder preceded by a roller if necessary. Sometimes the soil can not be properly prepared before the planting must be done. Under such conditions the roller and harrow should be used before the corn comes up, running the roller across and the harrow lengthwise of the rows.

If used just when needed harrows and weeders will kill weeds cheaper and better than any other tools.

To air the soil after the corn is well up, a double cultivator with narrow shovels is used, allowing it to go deep, the fenders preventing too much dirt from covering the corn.

[Mr. Collins took issue with the speaker at this point, stating that when a large growth of clover is plowed into black soil it is too loose already. This was granted, but as very exceptional in clay land.]

Unless the soil is compacted by heavy rains the next and all succeeding cultivation is shallower, but the root growth be not disturbed.

The cultivation continues until ears are formed, using one-horse tools, i. e., cultivators, harrows or drags. A board clamped to the rear of the one-horse cultivator will regulate the depth and assist in making a surface mulch, the object of these late cultivations being to check evaporation, that all available soil moisture may be used to perfectly mature the plant.

SELECTION OF CORN FOR EXHIBITION.

Much depends on the drainage and condition of the soil, seed, seedbed and cultivation, before corn can be successfully selected for exhibition.

The drainage question is large within itself, as it is the first thing to be considered in a successful corn crop in either wet or dry seasons, and aids much toward the condition and fertility of the soil. After the land is well underdrained the condition of the soil then depends much on clover crops, plenty of manure and on never cultivating too wet or letting stock have free access to fields during wet weather.

With proper management of the soil the seedbed is easily prepared and remains in splendid condition for cultivation through the entire

season.

The seed being a very important question, it is necessary that the grower should understand the six or eight standard varieties of corn, and grow the variety most adapted to his soil and climate.

The principal varieties of corn grown today in Indiana are "Leaming," "Johnson County White Dent." "Riley's Favorite" and "Boone County White." It is necessary that the characteristics of each variety be studied that we may know how best to secure pure seed, and seed that will largely reproduce itself.

Every corn grower should study the general score card and also the score card on standard varieties. It not only aids him in selecting his seed for planting, but it is the key to successful selection of corn for ex- · hibition. The exhibitor knows by what rules his corn is to be judged, and the judges must be confined strictly to those rules, and place on the card attached to each entry the score on each point, that the exhibitor may know wherein he has failed. This is a great educator to the inexperienced exhibitor of corn.

If I was to exhibit "Rileys Favorite" yellow dent corn, the first thing I should do would be to thoroughly understand the characteristics of that variety. I would know that the ears should be slowly tapering, with straight rows of kernels, deep yellow in color with red cob. In no point are impure varieties so easily distinguished as in color. White cob in yellow corn should disqualify the exhibit. Four or five white kernels in each ear would give a marking of 0.

Market condition would call for well-matured corn kernels firmly set on cob; no kernels lost, decayed, worm or mice eaten. In selecting for tips in this variety the ears, as I have said before, are permitted to taper slowly, but the tips should not be pointed, but rounded, or capped by long, even kernels, showing trace of rows to the center of cap.

The butts of each ear should be deeply rounded with deep, uniform kernels. The shank on ear-stalk of this variety is medium in size.

INDIANA CORN GROWERS'

ASSOCIATION.

463

No point in exhibiting corn can be governed so effectively as by removing all the shank or ear-stalk, so as to give a full view of all kernels Uniformity of kernel would next be considas connected with cob. ered, the shape of kernel in each ear of the exhibit must be uniform. The size should be the same in each ear and the depth, width and general shape must be considered. This does not call for perfectly shaped kernels, but demands a uniform kernel. The exhibitor must not be confused in the point 7, uniformity of kernel and point 8, shape of kernel.

An exhibit may have a rather poorly shaped kernel but uniformily good, which would deserve a creditable marking, as it denotes purity of breed and may be a distinct characteristic of the variety exhibited. As to the real value of the corn, shape is much more important than uniformity. It has much to do with space between rows, and this with per cent. of shelled grain to cob.

A perfect kernel is long, wedge shape and in it contains the elements of food, that by breeding it may be changed so as to make it more valuable for the different demands of corn.

The

A well proportioned ear is in length four times the diameter. general score card gives length from 10 to 11 inches and circumference 7% to 8 inches. The standard on Riley's Favorite is, length 9 inches, and circumference 7 inches.

Next would come space between rows.

This not only should apply

to the furrow at the top of the rows of kernels, for usually when there, there is corresponding space at the small end of the kernel.

Side space should also be considered, long kernels and closely fitted add very much to the value of the corn.

The last point considered is the per cent. of shelled grain, which is found after shelling a few ears, by a simple problem in percentage. The result usually corresponds with the other points of the score card; because, if market condition, tips, butts, shape of kernels and space between rows are good, the per cent. of shelled grain will be high. Thus, for successful exhibiting, I would follow the score card on other standard varieties. For example, take the "Johnson County White Dent" with which the writer is most familiar, knowing the true tips of this variety I would be able to make a selection that would score high on uniformity of exhibit, selecting ears ten inches in length, cylindrical in shape, white kernel with white cob, perfect in condition, tips of ears nicely filled with well-formed kernels, butts deeply rounded, with uniform kernels, the kernel generally uniform and of good shape, length and circumference This would insure a good right, with very little space between rows.

percentage of shelled grain and a high marking on the total score.

It is a difficult task, and requires much time to make first-class selection that will win when in competition with the entire corn belt.

The score card must be understood and followed closely to be able to exhibit corn successfully.

PLAN OF STORING SEED CORN.

L. B. CLORE, FRANKLIN, IND.

Corn is husked and hauled to dry-house by the ordinary corn husker, but is unloaded by expert corn men handling each ear by hand and making two assortments; the ears that are nicely developed, of good size and show a good uniform kernel are placed in dry-house for seed, while the remainder of the load is unloaded for market or feeding purposes. My dry-house is constructed so as to hold about 1,500 bushels of ear corn, first, by placing ears on racks that are parallel with the heater, or by a thin layer of corn in loft directly over heater. After drying there a few days it is then put in narrow cribs 4 feet wide 10 feet high and 50 feet long with 6 inches of air space between crib and side of building, the crib being located in same building that heaters are in.

The dry building has twenty large windows for ventilation on dry, warm days. After the dry-house is filled, the same care is taken in selecting out seed, but it is placed in out cribs prepared for ordinary corn and left for the Allwise to dry by His heater.

CELLAR STORED SEED CORN-WHY I PREFER IT,

CHARLES BUCKLEY, DELPHI, CARROLL COUNTY.

I am a strong advocate of seed corn that has been wintered in the cellar. I believe that corn that is kept in this way, where the temperature varies so little, for six months will make a more vigorous growth than where it is kept in a dry-house. I believe that there is just sufficient moisture in the atmosphere of the cellar to keep the germ from becoming too dry, as it is apt to do when kept in any other way. Experience has convinced me, as well as many of my friends and neighbors, that corn so kept will have a large, full germ, will germinate sooner, grow stronger, and will, therefore, produce more per acre. Most farmers will agree with me, that in this changeable climate, where freezing and thawing are continually teetering during six months of the year, that seeding corn is liable to have the germ weakened unless it can be kept in some place where, as I said before, the temperature is not subject to variation.

As corn is an absorbent of moisture, there are few farmers who have realized the results and will agree with me that seed corn should never freeze. While freezing will not kill the germ. yet it has a tendency to weaken it, and the stalk produced from a frozen grain will lack the strength we wish it to have,