THE 8EMI-WEEKLY TRIBUNE, NORTH PLATTE. NEBRASKA.
TO TC5T
AGRICULTURAL
experts predict
short corn crop this
year. Farmers ad
vised to test every
grain of seed in
order to avoid loss
-situation serious
By P. G. HOLDEN.
HERB will bo a short corn
crop this year nnd mil
lions of dollars will bo lost
to tho farmers If groat care
is not taken in selecting
and testing tho best ma
tured corn for this season's
planting. ,
Wo may well take the
warning to heart, for this
section of tho country livo3 and pros
pors largely on tho production of its
land, and follow tho advico of agricul
tural scientists who can tell our pco
plo how to cscapo heavy loss. This
advico will work no hardship and no
expense if followed. It will require
v a little careful work and sharp watch
ing at a season of tho year when tho
farmer is not overburdened with labor.
Ninetocn fifteen was a bad year for
corn. A cold, wet season retarded
tho growth of tho grain. The crop
in many parts of tho corn bolt was
immaturo; it contains an excessive
amount of water and is unfit for seed.
Tho scarcity of seed corn is really
tho most serious in many years.
You farmers may say you are going
to use seed from your 1914 crop. Don't
trust it. Tho grain may have been
damaged by tho frost during the hard
freezes of last year. Don't trust
It test it. Tho high prico of corn,
too, on account of tho war has near
ly exhausted the 1914 crop and this
source of supply then is not reliable.
Missing Hills, Weak Stalks.
There are about 800 kernels on tho
average car of corn. One poor seed
means 800 weak, moldy or dead kor
nols. If these aro planted it means
missing hills and weak stalks produc
ing little or nothing. According to
reports just received, every indication
points to very serious trouble with
seed corn, especially in sections lying
north of central Illinois and in North
Dakota, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michi
gan and Iowa.
Tills community ought to get busy
right now, for tho prosperity of our
community our merchants, our bank
ers, our builders, our workers do
ponds on the prosperity of tho farmers
hereabouts. Wo ought to start a seed
corn campaign. Tho county superin
tendent of schools can reach tho farm
ers through tho rural schoolteachers,
who in turn will see that tho children
carry tho messago home. You bank
ers, merchants and Implement dealers
who trado directly with tho farmers
ought to write personal letters urging
them to go Into this matter scientific
ally. In short, all of us ought to mo
bilize our forces, just as our nation
would have to mobilize all its re
sources in case of war.
You farmers must not uso poor seed
this spring. It means too much to all
of us. Poor seed means not only
a poor stand and a portion of tho
field idlo, but that you must cultlvato
missing hills, ono-stalk hills, and poor,
worthless stalks, and recelvo nothing
in return.
Don't Work for Nothing.
Thousands of people overy year
work moro than a third of overy day
on ground that produces nothing. Do
not depend for seed on tho occasional
good ears selected during tho husk
ing period. Tho corn will ho injured
by froozlng before It is husked or hs
foro It has had tlmo to becomo dry
after husking.
Solect tho best ears, If you havo
not already dono so, and string them
on binder twlno and hang up.
Do not store seed corn In barrols or
boxes. It will "gather molsturo" and
mold or freeze Do not store over the
stablo. Do not put immature or fresh
ly gathered seed corn in a warm room,
on tho floor, or In piles. It will either
sprout, or mold, or both. It should bo
hung up at onco, and tho windows
opened to allow tho freest circulation
of air. Do not depend, on tho crib
for seed corn.
Ono day dovotcd to tho seed corn,
at tho proper time, may, bo worth
more than an ontlro month of hard
work next summer put on a poor stand
of corn.
Tho attic is a good place to hang up
the seed corn. There should bo a cir
culation of air through tho room. A
space three by, eight feet will hold 200
strings of corn twolvo to fifteen ears
to each string, or about enough to
plant 200 acres. Three-fourths of this
-
t3
corn may bo discarded after testing,
but thero will bo enough seed to plant
fifty acres, moro than the average
acreage on each farm. Thoro aro sov
ernl objections to tho average cellar.
It is apt to be too damp, and the corn
must bo well dried before putting in
tho collar, and it must not be corded
up or put In piles, but hung up.
Will Your Seed Corn Grow?
It Is only good business to know
that the seed that you put into the
ground will grow; and tho only way
you can tell good seed is by testing it.
You can't tell by merely looking at it.
If you want profitable yields, you must
plant good seed.
Tho ten million acres of corn plant
ed In Iowa overy year aro grown In
217,000 farms, an averago of about
forty-six acres to each farm. It will
take about 600 ears to plant forty
acres. Twenty-four hours' time of
ono man, two days' work, will test
six kernels from each ear to plant
forty acres. Yet, because It is "too
much bothor," most of us pick out
GOO ears, look at thorn, guess that
they will grow, and plant them. As a
consoquence, moro than twolvo acres
out of each forty acres of corn plant
ed produce nothing. This Is worse
than useless, bocauso ono must plow,
plant and cultivate these twelve acres
and get nothing in return.
By testing you get rid of tho bad,
weak, and moldy ears. Testing does
not hurt tho corn. It costs but about
ton cents an aero, and can be dono at
a tlmo of the year when other farm
work is not pressing. By testing you
havo everything to gain and nothing
to lose.
Discard Poor Ears.
In tho winter, during a slnck season
or In tho early spring, from February
20 to March 20, solect tho best cars
from tho corn you havo storod in tho
fall and get ready to put them through
tho test.
Tho sawdust germination box is no
doubt tho best method for testing
seed corn. It costs nothing but a lit
tle time and labor. It furnishes near
ly natural conditions. It is not es
sential that tho box bo of any particu
lar slzo, although about thirty Inches
square and four or flvo Inches deep
will bo found convenient. This slzo
will test 100 carsgt a tlmo.
Tho sawdust is light, clean, and
easy to get and handle in February
and tho first of March, when tho test
ing should bo dono; is a good noncon
ductor of heat and cold, so that tho
temperature is kept oven during ger
mination, and holds tho moisture so
perfectly that thero is no danger of
drying out.
Tho number of boxes required will
depend upon tho amount of seed to bo
tosted and the tlmo limit. After tho
germination boxes aro mado, inspect
carofully the ears you aro to test from
tho standpoint of tho kernol.
Tako two or threo kernels from
each car, about n third of tho length
of tho ear from tho butt. Lay them
gorm-sldo up at tho tip of tho ear
from which they wero taken. If tho
kernels aro small, wedge-shaped, nnr-
row, shallow, too deep, or If they
show immaturity, starchlness, a ten
dency to mold, or If tho germs aro
small, or shriveled, discard tho car.
Rcmovo six kernols from six differ
ent places on each ear you havo so
lected to test, taking two from near
tho butt on tho opposlto sides of tho
ear, two from near tho tip, turning
tho ear enough so as not to tako two
kornels out of the samo row.
How to Test Seed Corn.
Fill tho box about half full of moist
sawdust, well pressed down, so as to
jvwg up jzzd cozzjt
leave a smooth, even surface. Tho
sawdust should bo put in a gunnysack
and set in a tub of warm water for
at least an hour (or still better, over
night) so that itwill bo thoroughly
moistened before using. Rulo off a
piece of good quality whlto cloth
(sheeting), about tho size of tho box,
into squares, two and one-half lnchos
each way. Number tho squares, 1, 2,
3, etc. Place tho cloth on the saw
dust and tack it to tho box at tho
corners and edges.
Uso caro that tho kernels do not get
mixed witli those from the car next to
It. After tho kornels aro removed,
boards may bo laid over tho rows of
ears to keep them in place until tho
result of tho germination test is
known. Placo tho six kernels from
ear No. 1 in square No. 1 of tho
germination box; from car No. 2 In
square No. 2, and so on with all tho
ears. Lay a piece of good cloth (a
good quality of sheeting) on top of
tho kornels and dampen it. Press tho
cloth down gently with tho palm of
hand, being careful not to misplaco
tho kornels in the squares.
Now placo over this cloth another
cloth of tho samo material, consider
ably larger than tho first ono (about
six ieet squaro;, anu nil in on top
with two or threo inches of moist,
warm sawdust. Pack it down firmly
with a brick or with tho foet. Tho
edges of tho cover should then bo
folded over tho sawdust In tho box
to provent drying out. Now sot tho
box away until tho kernels sprout.
Keep In an ordinary warm placo, liko
tho living room, where It will not
freozo. Tho kernols will germinate
in about eight days.
Remove tho cover carefully to avoid
misplacing tho kernels In tho squares.
Kxamlno tho kernels in each square
in tho germination box, and discard
all ears whoqo kernels in the box nro
dead, moldy, or show weak germlna
Hon.
Caring for Seed Corn.
If the kernels show weak, spindling
sprouts, or a part of thom aro very
weak and uneven, tho ear should bo
thrown out to make placo for an ear
whoso kernols give strong, vigorous
sprouts. Remember that tho kernols
which aro slow to sprout, and aro
weak, will be behind tho strong ones
In the Hold.
After tho seed has been sorted, test
ed, shelled, and graded for tho planter,
and tho bad kernels removed, it should
bo placed In hnlf-bushcl sacks and
hung up In a dry place. Put In sacks,
separato from tho rest, tho seed from
tho host 100 ears. When planting,
uso tho seed from "the best 100 curs"
on ono stdo of tho field from which
to pick your seed corn for the next
year's planting.
Wo cannot afford to neglect this im
portant work. If every farmer would
test every ear of his seed corn In tho
winter In the way doscribed abovo
the yield would bo wonderfully in
creased. No other tlmo will bo so
prolltahlo to tho furmer as that spent
in tostlng tho vitality of his seed and
In grading to inuuro tho planter drop
ping tho proper number of kernels
in each hill. It Is possihlo for ovory
ono to do tills work. -It will cost noth
ing but tho tlmo, of which thero is
plonty at tho season when tho work
should bo dono.
BACK 10 JE Hi
MORE FARMS BEING OPERATED
THAN IN 1914.
FORTUNE IN THE SAND CHERRY
Items of General Interest Gathered
from Reliable Sources Around
the State House
Western NewFpapnr Union News Service.
Lincoln. Twolvo thousand and six
hundrod moro farm owners occupied
and worked their farms in Nebraska
ln 1915, than tho previous year and
10,200 moro tenants occupy farms
last year than tho year before.
That is tho record as disclosed in
tho annual summary given out by tho
state agricultural board. I lore la
shown tho number of farms worked:
By By
Year. Owners. Tenants.
1015 17,880
191 05,221
1911 G9.752
1912 72,448
1911 GS.600
1!10 G8.011
55.9SG
39,747
49,353
55,275
45,135
47,578
Crant county has tho greatest nro-
portion or owners to tenants. Thoro
arc 349 ownor-workod places thero
and only threo tenant-worked ranches.
Hooker county is next with a nronor-
tlon of 293 to 12. .Richardson county,
nmons the richer' counties of tho
state. stnnd3 highest with a propor
tion oi :!,o to 817.
Counties whrro tonant-worked farms
exceed owner-worked farms, are
Adams. Burt. Clay, Doilgo, Flllmoro,
Hamilton. Hitchcock, Kearney, Lan
caster. Lincoln. Nance. Nemaha.
Phelps. Polk, Sarpy, Soward, Thurs-
ton, Wayno and York.
Fortune In the Sand Cherry.
modest fortune awaltn tho man
who la willing to cultlvato tho sand
cherry in Nobraska and put It on tho
market, according to predictions mado
by Prof. 0. E. Condrn, of tho state uni
versity, speaking to tho piembcrs of
uio isobraska Stato Horticultural soct
oy at Lincoln, Tuesday morning.
"Threo weeks heforo he died, Doctor
Bessey. of the stato university.
urged that something bo dono with
this fruit," said Doctor Condra.
"Whilo wo aro experimenting with all
sorts o'f foreign shrubs and plants in
tno stato why not tako a look around
and uso somo of tho very plants that
nature has adapted to tho soli. In
stead of putting in your own varieties
of plants, make uso of nature's own
plan. There is tho wild rico growing
in northern Nobraska just waiting for
someono to find a uso for it. Tho riv
ers aro lined with choke cherries, but
no one has seen fit to mako uso of
them.
Dismisses Suit Over Water Rights
Without pasting on tho question
whether tho stato railway commission
has authority to fix the prico at which
an irrigation corporation may chargo
ror perpetual water rights, tho stato
supremo court has decided that Lavllla
J. Hurtless and Isaiah II. Wn Burin
havo no legal basis for their suits
agrinst Uso McCook Irrigation &
Water Powor company, in which they
demanded perpetual water rights for
tho sum of $6.25 an acre.
Tho plaintiffs sot up pleadings to
tho effect that tho irrigation company
formerly sold everlasting rights for
the price stated, and that contracts
wero signed with a largo number of
land owners at that rato. It was
shown in tho trial that sucli debts
had beon sold at different prices, vary
ing irom ?G.25 to ?20 por aero nnd
about flvo years ago tho company in
creased tho rato to $35 per aero. When
tho two plaintiffs In these proceedings
applied for water rights, they wero
told thoy would havo to pay that rato.
Thoy refused and brought injunction
suits against tho company to prevent
it from discriminating between them
selves nnd other users.
N. A. Huso of Norfolk, who nro
forred charges against Superintendent
W. D. Guttery of tho stato hospital for
tho insane at Norfolk, has declined to
mako his charges moro specific and
tho stato board of control lias decided
to mako inquiry into overy chargo cov -
ereu ny umuavits on file. Tho board
originally set February 2 as the dato
for the hearing and this date has not
been changed.
Claim Insurance Men Active.
Tho statement Is mado by a mem
ber of the legislature that Insurance
mon aro organizing throughout tho
stato with tho end In vlow of trying
onco more to pass a so-called antl-dls-crimination
bill, uinillar to 9. F. 4G,
which was dofoatod in tho houso of
representatives during tho Inst ses
sion. It Is allegod that ,un army of
firo insurance agents who havo tho
secret support of their companies will
gel busy and roninin busy from now
on working for candidates for tho leg
islature who will favor such a bill.
Stato Treasurer Hall has hold up a
stato warrant for $400 for tho payment
of ton Interchangeable mileage books
of 2,000 miles each bought by tho hotel
commissioner. Mr. Hall does not bo
llovo in investing so much monoy in
mlleago at ono timo, nnd ho opposes
tho uso of inlloago in any event by
stato ofllcors nnd employes. But his
principal reason for not countersign
ing tho state warrant is that ho bo
lloves tho railway commissioner may
rulo tho railroads havo no right to
withdraw from same tho books bought
by Mr. Illdgoll and Mr. Ackerman
APPLIES FOR INJUNCTION.
Wants Railroads Prevented from Ral
ing Passenger Rates.
Application for an injunction
against tho seven railways dolnz busi
ness in Nonraska has been filed with
tho Nobraska supremo court by At
tomoy Gcnurnl Willis 12. Reed. Tnu
injunction is requested to prevent any
action the railroads may bo contem
plating townrd reverting to tho threo
cent passengor faro In tho state. Tno
court has taken tho application undet
consideration.
The application, requests the injunc
tion to cover threo phnscs us fol
lows: 1. That all rallroadB except tho
Missouri Pacific bo enjoined from
charging nuy rato for intrastate
traffic other than two centB per mho
or from filing any suit against the
enforcement of tho Nebraska two-cent
fnro law.
2. That tho Missouri Pacific rail
road company bo enjoined from rfl
fusing to sell t.OOO-mlleagc books for
$'-'0, as 1b required by a stato law In
dependent of the regular two-cent
faro act. which that company has
temporarily enjoined tho stato from
enforcing in Its own caso. '
3. That tho Missouri Pacific Do
restrained from discriminating In Its
rates within tho stato on tho allega
tion thnt tho company now charges
two cents por mllo, between points
whore thoro Is competition and threo
cents whero nono exists.
Tho efforts of the attorney general
to defeat tho alleged Intent of rail
roads to make rato raises moans a re
newal of tho suits stated by former
Attorney General V. T. Thompson
after tho 1907 2-cent fnro law had
been passed. Those suits wero dis
missed in federal court only a year
ago and Mr. Rood says that It was
the understanding that tho roads ac
cepted tho 2-cent rato without equi
vocation. Rooter of Civil War Veterans.
A record containing tho names of
moro than 25,000 veterans of tho civil
war, living or deceased, whose homes
wero in Nebraska, has Just been com
pleted by tho Grand Army of the Re
public. Assistant Adjutant Gonoral
A. M. Trimble says no other Etato has
such a completo record. Ho bolloves
It will ho of great value for roferenco
in years to come. Tho rocord was
mado by Mrs. Kate S. Millar, tho
daughter of a civil war votoran. Tho
record is doublo Indexed so that
names may bo easily found. Tho roc
ord sIiowb tho name, ago, occupation,
birthplace, date and place of mustor
into tho service and final discharge,
rank, company and regiment, the
post, if tho veteran Is a niomber of a
G. A. R. post, and residence.
Organized Agriculture at Lincoln.
Organized agriculture opened its an
mini meetings at Lincoln Tuosday and
in each nnd all of them was reflected
tho splendid prosperity with which
Nobraska Is blessed.
Tho stato agricultural board had Ub
business mooting nt tho Commercial
club building. Tho affair was well at
tended nnd plans woro adopted look
ing to great things during tho coming
year in tho stato. A 191G stato fair Is
promised that will exceed all othors in
splendor and extent.
Tho horticulturists initiated ono of
tho most promising programs thoy
havo over outlined for tliolr winter
sessions. President Pollard paid par
ticular attention, in his opening, ad
dross, to tho ninrvolous applo crop ol
tho past year and asked tho growers
and consumers present to center tholr
attention upon tho marketing problem,
A part of this, ho pointed out, Is to
suggest and carry out somo plan for
gottlMg tho waste crop into consum
ers hands. Thousands of bushels of
apples rotted on tho ground last year
ho said, bocauso thoy couldn't bo pro
pared for shipment and sent away
whilo tho hotter part of tho crop was
being attended to.
Secretary Mollor of tho state agri
cultural board gavo his usual Interest
ing ropovt on stato fair activities.
Scabies Inspection of 17G.800 cattle
of tho stato has been mado by Stato
Votorlnarlan J. S. Andorson and his
departmental assistants Blnco April 1,
1915, and 28,718 of the number have
boon found to bo nffected with tho
disease. A total of 45,000 was found to
havo been exposed, and 106,000 woro
1 nld to havo been froo of tho disease
A1 precautions nave noen taicen ny
tho department to treat tho afflicted
cattlo an.l to provent tho spread of
tho dlscasp.
Tho averago profit of flvo demonstra
tion plots planted to potatoes tho past
season in Box Buttco county showed
an estimated increased profit of $2G.90
an aero as compared with tho proceeds
from othor Holds planted with tubers
affected with this disease.
Clean seed gavo an avorago yield of
188.97 bushels nn aero, whilo tho seed
nffected with dry rot gavo a ylold of
112.09 bushels por acre, or a differ
onco of 7G.88 bushels In favor of tho
cloan seed. Tho dlfforonco In ylold at
35 routs pur bushol gives an Increase
of S2G.90 por ncre.
Tho demonstration was conducted
cooperatively under tho direction of
tho Box Butto county agricultural
agent and tho department of Agrlcul
turnl botany of tho college of agrlcul
turo.
George Jackson was oloctnd prcsl
dent and Win, II. Smith re-elected sec
rotary-treasurer of tho Stato associa
tion of stato farm mnnngors at tho ro
cent annual session In Lincoln.
Thoro woro nearly 13,000 moro
farms worked by mon who owned
thorn in Nebraska In 1915, than thoro
woro In 1914.
MY FREE BELGIUM
KAISER TO PROPOSE PEACE
HEARD IN WASHINGTON.
WOULD EVACUATE THE COUNTRY
Understood That Germany Will Offer
to Pay for Property Loss
Caused by Occupation.
Washington, D. C. Information has
boon received In diplomatic circles In
Washington Unit Germany Is consid
ering making Belgium a proposal of
separate peace. Tho evacuation of all
Belgian turritory would follow.
It Is understood that tho proposal,
which will bo mado to King Albert
by Uio military governor of Belgium,
will includo an offer to pay for tho
property dnmngo caused by the Ger
man occupation.
Tho offer will probably bo accepted,
It was said by high officials.
Tho restoration of Belgium would
lcavo the allies no room foe protest,
In the opinion of this authority, inas
much as It has been this ono point
on which Uio allies havo been most
Insistent ns a condition of pence.
It can bo stated authoritatively
that tho question ,of voluntarily with
drawing from all tho occupied ports
of Bolgulm on Uio ono condition Uint
Belgium first consents to concludo a
separate peaco with tho central cm
plres, is now being carofully consld
ercd in olllclal circles in Berlin.
It Is pointed out thnt tho conclusion
of such an arrangement would accrue
to tho ndvantngo of Gonnuny for Uio
following roivsons:
Tho conclusion of a separato poaco
with Germany would automatically dl
vorco Belgium from the oUier allies.
Tho occupation by any of tho al
lies of any part of Belgian territory
would becomo a violation of noutral.
Ity precisely compnrablo with Uio
much-quoted violation of neutrality
of which Germany has beon declared
guilty.
For tho allies to commit such a
breach of neutrality after having used
it as an excuse for making war on
Germany is too inconsistent to bo
possible.
With immuulty from attack from
that portion of hor frontier facing
Belgium, Germany would havo for
disposal elsewhere tho vast army now
actually in Belgium and in tho
tronchos on tho western portion of
tho battlo line.
Inasmuch as Germany has never at
any timo had any intention of occu
pying Belgium permanently, her
withdrawal now, Instead of at the end
of tho war, could not fail to bo of
grent advantage not only becauso
of tho accompanying release of
troops, hut becauso of tho world ap
proval with which such a step would
bo mot.
So far as paying Uio cost of tho
rohablliaion of Bolgulm is concerned,
tho amount Involved Is very much.
less than Is popularly supposed, by
far tho greatest financial loss sus
tained by the Bolglan3 having ben
duo to tho British sea blockade,
which has absolutely prevented all
Belglnn industrial activity.
Avalanche Kills Five.
Leavenworth, Wash. Flvo passen
gers woro killed by tho avalnncho
that hurled tho dining car and day
concli of tho Great Northern Spokane
Owl train No. 25 from tho mountain-
Bldo Into 'a ravlno 300 feet below at
Coren, Wash., forty miles from hero,
shortly Ubforo 7 a. m. January 22.
Flvo othors, rescued from the 111-
futed carB, aro sovorely injured.
Tho train hnd been standing still
almost an hour near tho entrance to
Horseshoe tunnel whilo workmen
cleared the track of a previous small
slide.
With a vast roar, tho Bldo of tho
mountain suddenly ripped looso, tons
of snow nnd earth shot down, cut the
two coaches from tho rest of the
train, and tho noxt moment woro
heard the shrieks of mon and women,
somo of them Just awakened.
Four hundred foot of snowsheds,
tracks and roadbed woro torn away.
Tho chair car and diner recelvod
tho full forco of the avalancho and
wero swept along with uprooted trees
and rocks into the gulch at tho bot
tom of tho steep embankment.
A sleeping car was bowled 6ff tho
track by tho slide, but the couplings
hold, and it was saved from going
over tho brink.
Robber Gets $500 From Bank.
Los Angeles, Cal. A lone highway,
man robbed tho Culver City Commer
cial and Savings bank of Culver City,
near bore, of $500. Ho lied after lock
Ing tho cashier in the vault.
Five Negroes Lynched.
Sylvester, Ga. Flvo negroes worn
taken from tho Worth county jnll by
n mob nnd strunk up to ono Ireo. Tho
mob took a nogro, bound with ropes,
to tho Jail, saying they feared ho
would bo lynched. When tho sheriff
ndmltted them ho was overpowered.
College Men for Military Training.
Hanover. N. II. Six hundred Dart
mouth college students at a mass
mooting here, formed an organization
to tuko up military drills nud studies,