GRANGE.
A Paper Read Before Pomona
Grange at Orson by
W. H. Bullock.
Corn culture, saving the seed,
testing, etc. Indian corn or maize
Is a native of America. It was
not known to Europe, Asia or
Africa before the discovery of Amer
ca. When the white vman came to
this country he found the Indian
using corn for this reason; It was
called Indian corn and the best evi
dence at hand seems to "point to
Central America ns the original
home of Indian corn.
It was found In the mounds of the
Mound Builders, a race of people
who inhabited America prior to the
Indians and in the Smithsonian In
stitute at Washington may be seen
specimens of corn taken from the
tombs of ancients. One specimen of
corn was found twelve feet under
ground in a Jar burled In a grave
with a mummy. Corn, like wheat
and oats, belong to the grass fam
ily, is an annus but unlike most
other grasses produces Its grain on
one or more shoots from the joints,
on the side of the stalk.
There are six classes or races of
corn: Pop corn, Sweet corn, Pod
corn, Flower corn, Flint corn, and
Dent corn. The pop corns nre gen
erally smaller than the Holds corns,
have many suckers and the kernels
are small, hard and lllnty. The
characteristics of the Sweet corns
are less starchy and more sugar than
In other kinds, and it also remains
In the "doughy or roasting ear,"
stage much longer, and the kernels
are very much wrinkled when
thoroughly matured or ripened.
They are especially valuable for
canning, boiling and roasting, and
some of the varieties, like Stowell's
Evergreen, are much used for fod
der. Pod corn or husk corn Is of
no special value as a Held crop, be
ing grown merely as a curiosity.
Each kernel Is enclosed in a husk.
Flower corn, the kernel Is shaped
like those of the first varieties, but
unlike them, in that the entire ker
nel, except the germ, is made up of
soft, starchy or ilowery appearing
material, and it has been frequently
used to adulterate wheat flower. The
Hint varieties are smaller and earlier
than the dent varieties and are
grown in those sections or states
north of what is known as the corn
belt. The Dent corn, practically all
of the corn produced in the great
"Corn Belt" of the United States lie
long to this class. There are many
varieties differing widely in color,,
size and time of maturity.
The Increase in yield and exten
sion of the acres planted in this
strictly American crop have kept
place with the rapid and wonderful
growth of our country. Corn is
king of the cereals and the most im
portant crop of American agricul
ture. It is the back bone of farm
ing in this country. Live stock of
every kind are fed upon rations, in
to which it largely enters, both here
and abroad, and it is claimed that
it feeds more human beings than
any other grain except rice. It
grows in almost every section of
America. There is no one best meth
od suited to all sections or to the
different soils of a section nor even
to the different Holds of the same
farm. Frequently two very differ
ent methods may give equally good
results. There are no fixed rules
that may be followed blindly, for
the growing of corn, any more than
in other farm work. Have good
ground, do the work on time and
do it thoroughly, should be the
motto.
It was but a few years ago that
the farms of the corn belt were
broken from the virgin soil, and
that . because they have been able
to crop the ground continuously for
the past, is no assurance that they
may continue to do so with profit
in the future. The fact is that the
time, is near at hand when we must
give greater attention to the fer
tility of the soil, to the conserving
and restoring of the elements of
plant food or we shall soon be com
pelled to pay millions of dollars for
these elements, in the form of com-
mercial fertilizers. Fall plowing
for corn. There seems to be a great
diversity of opinion regarding the
merits of fall ahd spring plowing,
even in the same neighborhood,
among the advantages of fall plow
ing are the following:
1. Having the ground already
plowed in the spring, gives us time
to better prepare the ground, and
what is of equal importance to get
our corn in on time.
2. A better prepared and a warm
er seed bed and consequently a' bet
ter stand of corn.
3. Less danger from Insect ene
mies and especially in the case of
sod ground.
4. Many weed seeds In the ground
will germinate and will be killed by
the fall freezes, especially in this
true where the ground has been
plowed early In the fall.
Some disadvantages of fall plow
ing are:
1. Occasional losses from blowing
and washing on rolling ground.
2. Unless the land is harrowed
early In the spring there is a loss of
moisture and consequently firing of
the corn during the latter part of
July and August, especially in a
dry season.
3. Spring plowing does not give
as good nn opportunity to spread
manure during the fall and winter.
The mistake is commonly made by
leaving the fall plowed ground with
out cultivating until time to plant.
The ground has becomo pneked by
snow and rain and should be har
rowed as soon as possible. This
will conserve the moisture and les
sen the firing of corn In July and
August, so common to fall plowing.
Ground that Is very rolling and like
ly to wnsh should not be plowed in
the fall. We should bear In mind
that one of the most serious losses
of the com crop every year is due
to late planting. Experiments show
that late planted corn seldom yields
as much ns that planted earlier and
the quality is Inferior. The ground
becomes hard and out of condition,
the weeds have drawn upon the
moisture and available plant food,
the crop comes to the dry spell in a
more critical stage, the proportion
of barren stalks is greater and It
matures more slowly, contains more
water and Is much more likely to be
caught by the frost. Every year
thousands of farmers lose heavily
from late planting, many of these
are gooa farmers and are unexpect
edly delayed with spring work by a
combination of bad weather, scarc
ity of help, etc. Too deep planting
is especially bad when the seed is
weak, or the spring is cold and
backward. There were several cases
reported last spring here the seed
from the same sack In different
lields giving good stands in one and
poor In the other. Investigation
showed that the poor stand was due
to deep planting. Corn is generally
planted deeper than we suppose.
The planter wheels frequently sink
Into the earth about two Inches and
the corn Is covered another two In
ches, the planter tracks become fill
ed In and the corn Is about four In
ches deep.
We often watch the planter for a
few rounds then pay slight nttentlon
to the depth of planting. The soil
Is mellower as wo get away from
the headland and consequently the
corn is planted deeper than we sup
posed. On the other hand there is
no more serious mistake than shal
low planting in lumpy dry soil. The
moisture Is not sufllclent for rapid
germination, the seed soaks up
slowly, comes up unevenly with a
large per cent, of sickly plants.
Cultivation should be level and fre
quent when the corn is small. It
may be deep at first but It must be
shallow later. .Methods of course
will vary greatly with local condi
tions, but there are .some things of
Importance that are often overlook
ed. .Many assume that there Is no-I
thing more to do after the corn Is
planted for two weeks or until it
Is up and large enough for the lirst (
cultivation. Where ground is left
two weeks or longer it becomes !
packed and foul with weeds which j
take up the moisture and plant food
and also make It different to work 1
the corn. It is important that the
corn should not become stunted
when young as It never fully recov
ers, even under the most favorable
conditions. J
We should keep a good mellow i
lively tilth until the corn shades
the ground. The time to kill weeds
is before they come up and before
they have deprived the corn of mois
ture and nourishment. Whore it is
possible to do so, it is a good plan
to work the ground once before it
comes up.
The preparation of the sceil. For
planting poor seed means a poor
stand with missing hills and missing
stalks; it also means wasted land
and wasted labor. It is estimated
that the average yield In the U. S.
is less than twenty-five bushels per
acre, yet there are hundreds and
thousands of farmers who produce
sixty, seventy, eighty, and even
ninety bushels per acre. An instance
is recoraed where one man raised
over seventy bushels per acre when
a neighbor on an adjoining farm
raised less than twenty, yet the
land values were the same and the
labor required to raise the twenty
bushels was as great as to produce
the seventy bushels. If one man can
produce sixty and seventy bushels
per acre, the other man can do it
also and must do it if we are to
achieve our agricultural possibili
ties. In the corn belt it is customary to
plant in hills 3 feet apart each
way, three kernels in each hill, thus
making 3,553 hills to the acre or
10,608 stalks, if each kernel grows.
If two stalks in each hill bore noth
ing but the other grows a small ear
weighing only eight ounces (140)
ears in the bushel, we would then
have five bushels per acre or 'more
than the average of the United
States.
A good stand of corn and every
stalk producing just a medium ear
will give a yield, it is estimated, of
from GO to 80 bushels per acre.
Then why are we not getting it?
Because there are so many missing
hills and one stalk hills, hills that
are producing nothing or only half
what they should and because there
are many thousands of stalks that
are barren, producing no ears. Poor
seed is another serious drawback
and is more responsible for a poor
stand and the weak stalks than all
other causes put together. Strong
germination is necessary, It is quite
generally supposed that if the seed
sprouts in the spring it is all right,
while much of it has often been so
weakened that it will not grow, es
pecially if the ground is cold or
the seed planted too deep or If it
it gives only a weak stalk.
The fact Is that poor seed costs
the United States many millions
bushels of corn annually. Few people
realize how great Is the loss each
each year and we cannot afford to
be too careless with our seed corn.
During the last three years, many
thousands samples of seed corn
have been sent to the experiment
station In Ohio to bo tested. These
samples came from every section of
the state and were made up In each
case of 200 kernels taken from 100
enrs, thus giving a representative of
each man's seed. These samples
vfere given a careful examination
test. This large number of tests
show that an average of 17 per cent,
was dead, that Is, either the stem or
root sprouts or both failed to grow,
and that an additional 19 per cent,
was low In vitality and unfit to
plant, leaving only 64 per cent, of
good steed. If every person inter
ested in growing corn could have
seen the germination 'tests of these
thousands of samples of corn, It
would not be necessary to appeal to
you for the testing of six kernels of
corn from each ear intended for
planting. How to make the germin
ation test. Use a box 4 or 5 Inches
deep and about 2 by 3 ft. in size,
fill the box about half full of saw
dust or moist earth, packed down
firmly so that it will leave a smooth,
even surface. In case saw dust is
used, it should be placed In a sack,
then placed In a tub of water for
half an hour so that it will be
thoroughly moistened before using.
Take a piece of white cloth about
the size of the box, rule it off check
er fashion one and one-half Inches
each way, number the checks, 1, 2,
3, etc., nnd place It on the sawdust
In the box and tack It on the box In
the corners and edges sufficiently to
hold it to its place. Lay out the
ears of corn to be tested side by side
on the floor In rows, and drive two
nails at the ends of the rows to hold
the ears In place, remove one kernel
from near the butt, another from the
middle and a third from the tip of
the ear; turn the ear over and re
move three kernels from the opposite
side In like manner, making six ker
nels in all, thus securing a represen
tative sample from the entire ear
Place the six kernels at the end of
the ear from which they were taken.
Use care that the kernels do not be
come mixed with the kernels from i
the ear next to It. After the ker
nels are removed, boards may be
laid over the rows of corn to keep the
ears in place until the germination ,
Is known. Place the kernels from
ear of corn No. 1 in square No. 1 of
the germination box, from car No. 2
In square No. 2 and so on with the
kernels from all of the ears; then
place over this a cloth considerably
larger than the box, cover with about
two inches of moist sand, dirt or saw
dur.t and keep in a warm place. In
about eight or nine days, when the
stem sprouts from the most vigorous
kernels are about two or three inches
long, the covering should be remov
ed, care should be taken not to dis
place the kernels. (A cloth spread
over the kernels before the covering
Is put on will prevent the kernels
from sticking to the upper cover).
Now take a thorough study of the
six kernels in each square in the ger
mination box and carefully note those
which either failed to grow or are
weak, showing low vitality. Do not
fail to throw out all such as these.
If the condition are unfavorable,
they will fall to grow, or growing
will produce only weak stalks, and
bearing nothing or only small in
ferior ears. But this does not, by
any means, measure the damage done
by these inferior stalks. They pro
duce millions of grains of pollen to
drift over the field to fertilize the
silks of ears on vigorous stalks, thus
continuing their worthlessness from
generation to generation. If six
kernels from every ear intended for
planting on every farm in the United
States were tested in a germination
box and all the weak ones discarded
it would add millions of bushels to
the crop of the United States annu
ally. There is no one thing that
costs so little and would add so much
to the profits of the farmer. There
is no good reason why every ear
should not be tested. Harvesting
and storing seed corn. In every ear
of corn intended for planting next
spring was harvested this fall, not
later than the middle of October,
and hung up in the attic where it
could dry thoroughly before the bit
ter cold freezes of November or De
cember, millions of dollars would be
added to the value of the next year's
corn crop. While there are many
who exercise great care in the har
vesting and storing of the seed corn,
yet we must all agree that the ma
jority have become extremely care
less, often depending upon occasional
good care found throughout the en
tire husking season for seed, and in
thousands of cases the seed for plant
ing in the spring, is simply selected
from the crib. There must be a tre
mendous waking up to the import
ance of the better care of seed corn,
especially in the corn states.
We have Arbor Day and it is all
right. Would it not also be well to
have a Corn Harvest Day? A day
when every one should begin the har
vesting and storing of his seed for the
following spring.
The people of the United States at
the beginning of the twentieth cen
tury are just waking us to the fact
that King Corn has recently taken
possession of the country. In 1906
It represented a value of ?1, 120, 000,
000 or more than the combined
values of cotton and wheat. In the
center of the corn belt, the value of
corn exceeds that of all crops com
bined. Last year (1908) the corn
crop was. estimated at 2,600,000,000
bushels. No other crop exerts so
great an Influence over the destines
of the enterprise of man. It is a
new crop, only a few years from the
hands of the Indians, when a few
hills were planted and the entire crop
ground in a cup; and It is but yes
terday that our fathers planted the
corn crop with a hoe and cared for
it with the same, aided by a one-horse
cultivator. Now and then during
the year a half bushel or so was shell
ed and ground at the water mill for
family use." The balance of the crop
I went to the chickens, pigs and horses,
i No one can realize what a mighty
change has taken place, who has not
seen the hoe give way to the hand
planter and In turn to the check row
er, the five and six acre to the eighty
and one hundred acre fields, the lit
tle hand full of hominy and meal by
the miller to the multitude of differ
ent products now shipped dally from
our factories by train loads to every
country of the globe.
What becomes of the corn crop?
It Is estimated that 76 per cent. Is
consumed on the farm. Fifteen per
cent. Is used for manufacturing pur
poses and ten per cent. Is exported.
There is no other plant from which
so many products are made. More
than 150 products being made from
the stalk, cob and grain. The fol
lowing are among some of the more
Important: Several kinds of corn
flower or meal, starches, sugars, can
dles, syrups, alcohol, whiskies, oils,
salad dressing, rubber, hominy, brew
er's grists, cellulose, dextrine, paste,
mucilage, beer, germ oil cake, gluten
feed, paper, pipes, etc.
I was startled some time ago when
I read of L. B. Clore of Johnson
county, lnd., who won the grand
championship prize of $1,000 In gold
and ? 1,000 trophy for the best 10-ear
exhibit of corn at the national corn
exposition at Omaha, Dec. 9, 1908;
also of 1. S. Long, of Lebanon county,
Pa., who has been breeding corn for
vitality and quantity, and who has
won the World's record corn-crop of
yield. The result is that he produc
ed 130 bushels an acre on 73 acres,
and more than 140 bushels an acre
on 17 acres. Think of Mr. Long's
achievement, 12,000 bushels of corn
from ninety acres of land. At the
same time, just remember that no
farm in the west has ever done so
well, even on soil black with humus
and rich with plant food, the accumu
lation of years.
The selection of , seed corn by the
farmer from his own crop is gener
ally accomplished in one of three
ways:
First. By picking out the seed af
ter the corn lias been cribbed.
Second. By selecting the best ears
while gathering.
Third. By going into the Held be
fore harvesting time and selecting the
most desirable ears.
Of these three ways, the latter is
the best, because a better selection
can be made, when the entire plant,
as well as the ear can be considered.
W. II. BULLOCK.
THE ;i5AJE MASTER.
Characteristics Required to Make a
Successful Olliccr.
The master of a grange should
feel the responsibility of his posi
tion. While he should not think ho
is the whole grange, yet he will cer
tainly be held responsible for decline
in interest or in membership, and
if so the rule of fair play should en
title him to credit if the grange is
successful.
First. Although the grange is a
school, it cannot be governed by
fixed rules. It has been my ex
perience that it is not always best
to call to order at a stated time, but
to be governed by the number pres
ent, and at the same time do not
delay the meeting too long so as
to tire those present.
Second The master should be
reasonably familiar with parliamen
tary rules.
Third. He should be prompt and
fair with his decisions and courte
ous to all.
Fourth. Owing to the prominent
part which he is of necessity com
pelled to take in all meetings he
should be quick to think and act
and also very brief so as to avoid
the possibility of becoming tire
some. Fifth. In conferring the degrees
the master should use all the
means at his command to make the
ceremony of interest to those who
are already members, for in some
instances members have been known
to stay away when the degrees are
given. He should make himself
perfectly familiar with the unwrit
ten work that he may be able to
impress it on the minds of the can
didates in a clear and Interesting
manner.
Sixth. I wish to make this par
ticularly clear. The master should
consider himself the host for the
evening and make all feel at home
and that he is pleased to see them
present. This can be done by tak
ing pains to speak to all either be
fore grange or at some of the in
termissions and especially to those
who are new members or not reg
ular in attendance.
Seventh. The master should
carry out as far as possible In his
dally life the noble teachings of our
Order as laid down in the ritual that
the influence of the grange may be
felt for the good of the community.
By Increasing the influence of the
Order we will induce others to join
with us In the spirit of fraternity
which Is spreading over the entire
state and the United States as well.
A MODEL (JUAXGK.
Turner Grunge, Maine, Has 450
Members nnd Owns its Hall.
Turner grange was organized June
6, 1874, and has reached a member
ship of nearly 450. This grange is
located in the fine farming town of
Turner, noted for its excellent farms,
thrifty farmers and Turner creamery,
which sells over 1380,000 worth of
dairy products annually, and It Is
said to be the second largest cream-
ery In New England.
The membership of Turner grange
1b composed solely of the families of
this thrifty farming section, and the
average attendance Is over 160 an
nually. This large attendance en
ables the grange to hold Interesting
meetings nt all times of the year.
One peculiarity Is the fact that no
evening meetings are held, hll be
ing held In the day-time.
At 10 o'clock on the flrst and
third Saturdays of every month the
members assemble and the business
commences. At the noon recess a
dinner Is served. At the close of
the afternoon meeting the labors of
the day are completed, and all get
home In time for the evening chores.
This grange owns the hall In which
the meetings are held, whirl, i
commodious structure, containing
me louse room, dining room and
kitchen completely equipped for
serving large numbers and a library
with over 700 carefully selected vol
umes. The latter Is installed In a
very attractive library room, nicely
carpeted and containing reading
facilities. A librarian Is In charge
during each meeting, and books are
taken and returned hv Innin tiara
Over $100 Is annuallv pvupikIoh i
purchasing new books.
A Stnte Maste i Good Honds.
State Master Creasy of Pennsylva
nia at a meeting at Sollnsgrove,
Snyder county, said that the "good
roads" built by the highway depart
ment were " miserable and expensive
failures. During the years of its
existence no doflnlt O llltlTl lino
established except a religiously car
ried out method of squandering
money. There Is ton mm.ii mni.n.
any desk business about building
uik ko caned state roads. Every
time a strip of such highway Is to be
made or repaired an ofllce attache
from Ilarrisburg is sent to the
scene. Generally he looks wise, and
that Is all. Although not cognizant
of locally peculiarities of the road
bed, he disregards the suggestion of
the ruraltles. The unsatisfactory
upkeep of many of these thorough
fares is a striking evidence of the
employees' own ignorance."
OUR STOCK OF 11 EN'S CLOTH
ING 15 LARGE ENOUGH TO
SUPPLY EVERY NEED!
If you want
and
dignified in cut
Wb HAVE II.
1E'I 111 I
I sH I
if. -Wi"' '"-3.
!-;. 1:1 X w
TAKE TJIIS COLLEGIA N cut. lor instance; it is one of the distinguishing
models which will be worn by fashion leaders tin's spring. Two button
slanted button holes, vent, side seams creased. There's a dash of stvle and su
periority of finish that at once stamps it the product of master tailors !
Adler's Collegian
shape because of a
construction, and perfection in workmanship.
v 2 S?le nefnts tal Je celebrated Knox lint : the Corlis-Coon Collars, in M sizes.
LwJnlcnts 'nr .the Kdcrhelmer-Steln clothins for chlldrei .-The best
chlldrens' clothlng,made In thecountry.
BREGSTEIN BROS., Honesdale.
II. C. HAND, President.
W. B. HOLMES, Vice Pkes.
We wnnt you to understand the reasons
of this
WAYNE COUNTY SAVINGS BANK
HONESDALE, PA.,
HAS A CAPITAL OP - - - $100,000.00
AND SURPLUS AND PROFITS OF - 355,000.00
MAKING ALTOGETHER - - 455,000.00
EVERY DOLLAR of which must be lost before any depositor can lose aPfJNXS Y
It has conducted a growing and successful business for over 35 yenrs, serving
an increasing number of customers with fidelity and satisfaction.
Its cash funds are protected by MODERN STEEL VAULTS.
All of these things, coupled with conservative management. Insured
hy the CAKKKUL I'KHSONAL ATTENTION constantly elven the
Hank's affairs bvn notahlvable Hoard of Directors fissures tin. nntrnn.
of that SUPKKMK SAFKTY which
Hank.
Total Assets,
DEPOSITS MAY HE
-DIRECTORS
OIIAS. J. SMITH,
H.J. CONUKH,
W. P. SUYDAil.
II. O. HAND,
A. T, SKA HI. k,
T. B. CLARK
HOCKEFELLER'S VIEWS
FIRST HAND.
It Is Interesting to know thevlewa
of Mr. John D. Rockefeller on the sub
ject of money-making. These views
have not reached us second-hand, but
are from his written word, reproduced
In facsimile of his handwriting on the
front cover of the World's Work.
Says Mr. Rockefeller, In bold red Ink:
"I know of nothing more despicable
and pathetic than a man who do
votes all the waking hours of the day
to making money for the money's
sake." Coming from such a source,
thlR statement Is lnterestlneif true.
THE CITIZEN rangements for
A FIVE MILE
FOOT
RACE
AFTKIt THK
MARATHON PLAN
WHICH WILL TAKE PLACK ON
Decoration
Day
MAY 31
5 Handsome Gold and
Silver Medals will be
Awarded the Winners !
til-
!F.NTPANf P CDRCts
It il
To ill competitors living In the county,
exclusive o( professionals: entries to ho
tmidu nt nnv time prior to May LUth.
ALL CONTESTANTS will be re
quired to submit to a physical examin
ation by competent physicians, to Insure
proper endurance condition for race.
FURTHER DETAILS Inelmllne In
structions for proper training, will ap
pear In Mim-cdlnc Issues of Tub C'itizkn.
CITIZEN .1015 PRINT means STYLE,
QUALITI , and PROMPTNESS. Try it.
If you want
somethingultra
and smart
WE HAVE
THAT TOO.
Clothing retains its
careful and scientific
II.
W.
S. SALMON, Cashier
.1. WARD, Ass't Cashier
for the ABSOLUTE SECURITY
Bank.
Is the prime essential of a cood
$2,733,000.00
MADE BY MAIL.
ore?
r -f 8 P'vP
Ifwjl if
W. 11. HOLMK3
P.P. KIMHI.K
II. S. SALMON