hl dicen a LOM TIT Re Bent 34. : atom Px PP a Aad La aN wore een : Cnet Oo kale en AS eat aN. Sees ea nr A *. ut i} 7 ; 16; ‘i ‘ 1h . i } ; H att a Ty fame aa eee PORE Seen. Ne : 0 vie s) yom} he ni y y 4 : Ain WW ae, ar gat i * { fi ‘ a wh J \ 7: 7 i i Vila iy aye , 4 eo ‘a We ps 7 fan we “) ‘ . As i ite wf 1 i } ve See G : fs ve a my, t ‘ An Fo _ x 4 ! j ie bao ) i ‘4 Neat WW ix 5 ig aed ; ‘tt Vales Af t ' ey ; s } " ut i :) hy id re aig, 7 a 0 nae ee Ft iy ave Mat do OMOEA Theis ueaee 4 / it) ney ie hate 14 ie ys j f ; vt 1 aN Vik. ei a 4) ~ u ' ‘Unser AL Oawipon +g OHIO CORN IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION or tie Compliments of the Chio Corn Improvement Association. REPORT OF THE MEETING HELD AT COLUMBUS, OHIO, NOVEMBER 23-25, 1908, AND FOR THE YEAR 1908. THE EXPERIMENT STATION PRESS WOOSTER, OHIO 1909 JQ mm " vw yn | IPUMINNYNWWWWP Os = Un — ’ ~~ PROCEEDINGS OF THE MEETING OF THE OHIO CORN IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION HELD AT COLUMBUS, NOVEMBER, 23-25, ’08 HE FIRST ANNUAL MEETING OF THE OHIO CORN J IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION was held at Columbus, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, November 23-25, 1908. The sessions were held at the building of the Ohio State University, and in connection with them was held the first State Corn Show, a report of which will be given by the Committee on Institutes and Expositions. The afternoons were given over to the Corn School, which lasted throughout the week, and to a study of the exhibits. The attendance at all sessions held in the forenoons and evenings, and the number of exhibits at the corn show far exceeded the ex- pectations of the committee in charge of the meeting, thus causing some little embarrassment. At the business session Wednesday forenoon the following counties were represented by accredited delegates who were author- ized by the Committee on Credentials to cast the number of votes given opposite the names of their counties. He ftta WCsimereecs satnceretats Re ca en ee one palo 2 + “NONE OME Yos-nec usec eee ene sence 2 Jehiecelrail el brs @ Shes ley 0g (ers) Ras ABR ee 2 Starke ddiglel farsa ae a oe wialara ccacaae ea ee Gee Ree ee ere 3 Ge STALEY AEP Seats ea eee Te Se EI ee eermeaes 6 Wan wert: i cacca cee ee On ee Eee 3 MAING OCKEM, boson Patent acl antabra a ticket leamiiee’ 2h! AD aes cousin mete eee a eae 3 NED OS OMe ore eae eee Rees ees Lets «Gralla: ss Ae eat ae ee ee ecco ee 2 IMCS R CSI CE BARRE rN SeseaHcns be ca U ee aoe Ceemae Gee fh le lehantibh corn (Guonyaalloulyo)))\s4anans5a5cedeccunoesns 2 RC MMETA CURE es tact atone amen hactcehinctaes HN Opis to Sate Ae neers soos of Modoc cei aar Ro bebmoae 5 DS Fibiga ayo Lee ee an eat eee se ee eee ee 1 INT SIS ec eran rates ete a ee ee soe 4 (CLUS Tae er aati haces Cems oa: eee ae eee ar 5) oy Pi uibinainns: oes ccc eten ae nee eA 7 Uieelakeli ins (CO WIS MUD) cqeciencerese Netea ie! coc 2 + | SMUAITT teeta rnteaee sete eee ence eee Raa 5 GAMIETINS Gaya ennccee ri ooh eee esc vaenneeeter Minne Ise Wiaishine tomissss.c-c-ancnehe setae ee meer 1 [S126 balsa tees ROBES ner on eaciin setae toe ate eae 26 WiOOG a tee cetera cenit ee oe aon eee meas 3 OLE GIST OE RR sy is Perr ete nO EN le i HROtale VOLESECAS tas Dou COMMIMCS year coves cone meee hacen mechs beatin eases a eee eR a eee 100 At this session the Constitution and By-laws were amended to read as given elsewhere, and the following officers were elected for ¢he ensuing year:— W. B. Gramlich, Kenton, President District Vice-presidents:— W. M. Hardman, Yellow Springs, Vice-president Tasso Terrell, New Vienna L. H. Goddard, Wooster, Secretary H. N. Firestone, Middlebranch J. W. Hedges, Duvall, Treasurer W. A. Lioyd, Albany The following papers and reports were presented at the meeting: 4 OHIO CORN IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION RECENT ADVANCEMENT IN OUR KNOWLEDGE OF THE LAWS OF HEREDITY. BY W. J. SPILLMAN, AGRICULTURIST U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. A dozen years ago the subject of heredity was usually not taught in our colleges; we did not know enough to justify teaching it. Even yet the subject is hardly organized from a pedagogic standpoint, but there is plenty of subject matter for a strong college course. This _matter is rapidly assuming form, and will doubtless soon form one of the most important and most popular biological courses. The discoveries in this domain during the eight years are nothing less than epoch making. We donot even yet appreciate their full importance, yet important applications of this new knowledge have already been made in the improvement of crops and domesticated animals. During the last two years of the past century, five men, working independently of each other, discovered a highly important law which enables us to predict the results of the crossing of two dis- tinct varieties for the second and later generations of the progeny. The discovery of this law was hailed with much enthusiasm, as it was the first inkling we had had that there are any laws governing the transmission of hereditary characters from one generation to the next. After the discovery was announced, Correns, one of the men who had made the discovery, insearching through the literatureofthe object to see whether the law had been recognized previously, made the astounding discovery that this law had been worked out in very great completeness by a monk in an Austrian monastery and published in 1865, demonstrating anew the old saying that “There is nothing new under the sun.”’ But the discovery was new when the Austrian monk made it, and it has very appropriately been named ““Mendel’s Law’’, for this was the name of the recluse who, working with varieties of the common garden pea, had discovered a law the knowledge of which enables us now, Iam tempted to say, to produce almost any type of plant or animal we desire, provided we can find the characters we want scattered amongst races or varieties that can be crossed with each other. There are, however, many limitations in the application of the law, but new facts are being dis- covered concerning it almost daily. We do not know that all heredi- tary characters obey Mendel’s law, but many hundreds of them do, and it is barely possible that alldo. The highly significant fact is that we have discovered a law which hundreds of hereditary charac- as ANNUAL REPORT 5 ters do obey. It is now my task to vive an exposition of this law, together with some of the important results which have fgllowed its application in the breeding of plants and animals. Suppose we cross a bearded wheat with a smooth (beardless) wheat. Experience shows that this gives a wheat which is smooth, or only very slightly bearded. In this cross we bring together two naturally antagonistic characters. For some reason one member of this pair of characters prevents the other from developing. The biologist expresses this fact by saying that smoothness is dominant over beards, or that beards are recessive to smoothness. Generally speaking, one member of a pair of antagonistic characters is more or less completely dominant over the other. For instance, if we cross a polled breed of cattle witha horned breed none of the progeny will have perfect horns. About 5 percent of them will have what cattlemen call ‘‘scurs’’, that is, imperfect horns. The other 95 per- cent will be as perfectly polled as their polled parent. Thus, the poll character is said to be dominant and horns recessive, though the dominance is not absolute in all cases. The cases cited are illustrations of what we call ““Mendel’s law of dominance.” We have many beautiful illustrations of this law. For instance, if red tomatoes be crossed with yellow the fruit of the hybrid is red. If white hogs be crossed with black or red the hy- brids are nearly always white. If the white faced Hereford cattle ‘be crossed with cattle having a colored face the crossbred animals have white faces. Ifared rose be crossed with a white rose the hybrid is red. Ifa pink-eyed albino be crossed with an individual having no albino blood, none of the progeny will be albino. DOMINANCE NOT ALWAYS PERFECT. The dominance of one character over its opposite is seldom ab- solute. In nearly all cases there is some indication of the hybrid character of the progeny. Even if there is no other indication the hybrid is usually stronger erowing and more vigorous than the pure bred. But usually the recessive character itself shows, at least partially, in some individuals resulting from the cross. As stated above, the cross between bearded and smooth wheat shows a slight tendency to be bearded. The cross between polled and horned cattle in.a few individuals develops imperfect horns, or scurs. Re- cessive characters are especially likely to show when age comes on. In some cases, however, we have a very different result. There is a certain red primrose which, when crossed with a certain white primrose, instead of giving red progeny gives a beautiful purple flower. ‘This primrose has for years been sold on the market un- der the name of “Imperial Primrose”’; but it is a hybrid and does not reproduce true to seed. We shall later see why this is the case. 6 OHIO CORN IMPROVMENT ASSOCIATION In some crosses, instead of having dominance of one character over its opposite, the hybrid is intermediate between the two parents. For instance, in my work with hybrid wheats some years ago, I crossed several varieties of the ordinary types of wheat with the extremely short headed club wheats grown on the Pacific Coast. While the hybrids produce club shaped heads with the characteristic dense growth of the club varieties, these heads were nearly always longer than the original club heads, so there could not be said to be complete dominance of the clubcharacter. Prof. Castle, of Harvard, crossed long-eared rabbits with ordinary rabbits, and the progeny had ears intermediate in length between those of the two parents. On the other hand, when dwarf peas are crossed with standard sorts the hybrid grows even taller than the standard parent. These illustrations are sufficient to make clear the law of domi- nance and the fact that this law is not universal. Wecome now to the more important law, the law of separation of character pairs. It is this law that is ordinarily meant when we speak of Mendel’s law, because it is so much more important than the law of dominance. It is part of the irony of Fate that Mendel’s discoveries were utterly ignored and even forgotten during his life time. He never knew he had made an epoch making discovery. When the whole world went to breeding improved varieties of plants these discov- eries were made again. Now we are building a monument to Gregor Mendel at Brunn, Austria, in the little monastery garden in which his epoch making work was done. MENDEL’S LAW OF SEGREGATION. We have seen what happens when a pair of antagonistic charac- ters are brought together; that is, what happens during the life of the individual bearing these two characters. But what happens to this character pair in passing to the next generation? In order to make the matter clear, let us take a concrete case. Let us suppose we have a hybrid pea which was produced by crossing a red pea with a white one. This plant produces ovules in the young seed pod, and these ovules must be fertilized by the pollen grains which it produces in its anthers, or by pollen grains from some other flower before they will develop into seed. But let us take the case in which the ovules are fertilized by the pollen grains produced in the anthers of the same flower. A most interesting thing happens in the formation of both pollen and ovules. For lack of time I cannot explain this in detail, but in the production of pollen or ovules a cer- tain cell division occurs which splits apart the members of our pair of antagonistic characters. ‘The two cells which result from this ANNUAL REPORT a division are therefore not alike. Oneof them has in it the red flower character, the other the white flower character. Essentially the same thing occurs in the formation of both ovules and pollen. In other words, when a hybrid produces those cells which are to be used in the production of a new generation—that is, reproduc- tive cells, or, as the biologists call them, gametes, every pair of an- tagonistic characters present in the hybrid is split apart so that half of the gametes formed inherit one member of each pair; the other half inherit the other member. , This is called the “law of the seg- regation of character pairs in hybrids.” In reality, the same thing happens in plants and animals that are not hybrids. The hereditary characters are inherited from both parents, and there is really a pair present in all ordinary cases. But in pure bred races the two members of a pair are alike, and hence can not be distinguished. A very good way of expressing Mendel’s law is as follows: a character inherited from one parent is transmitted to half the offspring; the corresponding form of this character inherited from the other parent is transmitted to the other half of the ‘offspring. Returning again to the case of our hybrid pea, let us picture a particular one of the ovules and let us assume that it is one which by chance has the red flower color init. Now this ovule must be fertilized by pollen before it can develop intoa seed. That is, the nucleus of the ovule must unite with a nucleus obtained from a _ pol- len grain before growth can take place in the ovule. But half of the pollen of the plant has the red character and half the white. It is therefore an even chance whether this particular ovule shall be fer- tilized by red pollen or white pollen. If it is fertilized by red the plant developing from this ovule will then be pure red in flower, be- cause it has inherited red from both sides. Sucha plantis said to be homozygote, a term which means “‘like things joined together.”’ But if this ovule should be fertilized by white pollen, then the plant which developes from it will be hybrid, because from one _ side it inherits the red and from the other the white. It is said to be heterozygote, a term which means “unlike things joined together.” Because of the law of dominance, the flowers this heterozygote plant would produce would be red, but they would not reproduce true to seed. These terms, homozygote and heterozygote, apply to animals as wellas to plants. Let us see how many different kinds of seed our hybrid pea plant could produce. Half of its ovules are red and half white. By this, of course, I mean that half of them have inherited the red character and the other half the white. We have just seen that the 8 OHIO CORN IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION red ovule is just as apt to be fertilized by red pollen as white pollen, hence, on the average, half of the red ovules will unite with red_ pol- len and half of them with white. Likewise, half of the white ovules will unite with red pollen and half with white. We thus have four cases, namely: red uniting with red; red with white; white with red; and white with white. Each of these four cases is as likely to occur as another. Hence, on the average, they will occur an equal number of times, especially if the number of seeds produced is large. Thus we see that the progeny of our hybrid is one fourth pure red, one half heterozygote between red and white, and one fourth pure white. But since the heterozygotes also appear red, the progeny of the hy- brid we are considering will be three red to one white.’ This is the well known Medelian tatio found in the progeny of a hybrid plant or the progeny,of two hybrid animals. As this is the most fundamental point in the whole subject of heredity, I will take the liberty to use another illustration. Sup- pose that the parents of a family of children are both heterozygote for brown-eyes and blue eyes. Since brown is dominant to blue both these parents will be brown-eyed, but each of them will trans- mit brown eyes to half the children and blue eyes to the other half. The possible types of children in sucha family are as follows. The first group consists of children which inherit 1 Brown eyes from the father and brown eyes from the mother. This group is homozygote for brown eyes. 2 Brown eyes from the father and blue eyes from the mother. This group is brown-eyed, but heterozygote, as is also the next. 3 Blue eyes from the father and brown eyes from the mother. 4 The last group inherit blue eyes from the father and blue eyes from the mother. Being homozygote for the blue they will be blue-eyed. Each of these four cases is equally likely to occur. ‘The first three of them give brown eyes, the last blue; hence, on the average of a large number of such families, three fourths of the children will be brown-eyed and one fourth of them blue-eyed. Many of you will know families in which this law is illustrated. It must be remem- bered, however, that in such families all the children may inherit either brewn or blue from both parents, but such cases will be rare. It is possible from the law of probability to calculate in what propor- tion of such families any particular combination of brown and blue eyes will occur. Let us now return to the case of the Imperial Primrose. ‘This beautiful purple flower originated ina cross between a red and a white variety, the heterozygote being purple. Now when this ANNUAL REPORT 9 purple plant produces ovules and pollen, half the ovules carry the red character and half white. Likewise, half the pollen carries the red character and half the white. The chance union of these pollen grains and ovules covers the same four cases we have considered above in the case of eye color. One fourth of the seeds produced are homozygote for red; one half of them are heterozygote; the re- maining fourth are homozygote for white. Wecan now understand why this primrose, grown and sold by an English florist for a period of fifteen years, always produced some red, some white, and some purple progeny. Generally speaking, one fourth of the seed pro- duced red flowers, one fourth white, while half of them reproduced the beautiful Imperial Primrose. Experience has shown that it is impossible to fix the type of a’ heterozygote by selection, and we now know why this is the case, It is because of the law of separation of character pairs when repro- ductive cells are formed. How, then, shall the breeder of plants and animals secure any advantage from this law? MULTIPLE HYBRIDS. In most crosses, either with plants or animals, we have to deal with several pairs of characters. For instance, in the cross between Herefords and Angus cattle the Herefords have white face, red body and horns; the Angus has colored face, black body, and no _ horns. The hybrid, because of the law of dominance, will have a black body, a white face, and no horns. But if we cross this hybrid with Here- fords it will transmit the poll character to half the offspring, the red body to half, and the white face to half. But a calf which re- ceives the poll character is just as likely as not also to receive the red body color from the hybrid parent; and a calf which has inheri- ted both the poll character and the red body color is just as likely as not to inherit also the white face from the hybrid parent. If we se- cure a large number of such progeny, some of them then will have the pure white face and the pure red body of the Hereford, and at the same time will have the poll character from one parent. ‘They will, as far as external breed characters are concerned, be pure Herefords in color, in face, and will be hybrid polls. Let us now see what use the breeder can make of these newly obtained polled Herefords. It must be remembered that they have inherited the poll character from one side only and are therefore heterozygote for this character. Suppose we cross one of these heterozygotes with pure horned Herefords. From the pure Here- ford side the calves all inherit horns. From the heterozygote par- ent half of them inherit horns and the other half the poll character. ~ ‘This style of breeding, therefore, simply increases the number of iO Pet OHIO CORN IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION. our heterozygote polled cattle, and gives us no pure polled cattle. After a while, however, we securea large number of these hetero- zygote polls. Now suppose we confine our crossing to the hetero- zygotes. In that case we get exactly the same results as were out- lined above in the case of eye color where both of the parents were heterozygote for this character pair. One fourth of the progeny will be homozygote for the poll character; or, in other words, they will be pure polled animals producing only polled progeny, no matter with what they are crossed. In this manner we are able to obtain a few pure polled animals which have all the visible characters of the Hereford breed except the horns. What Iam describing is no fancied case. This work has ac- tually been done, and we have now two breeding associations in this country which are breeding Polled Herefords in the manner de- scribed. We may now state Mendel’s law ina new way, and in a way. which shows its tremendous importance to the breeder. In the second generation of a hybrid, every possible combination of the parent characters will occur, and if the number of individuals in the second generation be large enough there will be some individuals representing every combination of characters that will be homo- zygote with reference toall the characters present, thus giving fully established new types which require no further selection for their fixing. This phase of the law is beautifully illustrated in some recent work in the breeding of tomatoes done by Professors Price and Drinkard of the Virginia Experiment Station. The parent plants used in making this cross differed in three important characters. Oneof them had green leaves, the other had yellowish leaves; the one with green leaves had yellow fruit with a neck on it, rendering it pear shaped, the one with yellow leaves had red fruit which was round, or without neck. We thus have three character pairs, namely, green and yellow leaves, red and yellow fruit, neck and no neck on the fruit. The possible com- binations of these three characters that can occur in the second generation of the hybrid are as follows: First, we may have either green leaves or yellow leaves. In each of these classes we may have yellow fruit or red fruit, and in each of these sub classes we may have the neck or its absence. This gives eight types. Type No. 1 has yellow fruit with the neck. This is exactly like one of the original varieties used in this cross. Type 2 has yellow fruit with no neck. So much for the two green leafed types that have yellow fruit. We will now turn our attention to the two green types which have red fruit. The first one (type 3) should have the neck. This plant ANNUAL REPORT 11 showed the neck plainly in the first fruit formed on the vine, but in the fruit which formed later the neck was absent, the fruit assuming an oblong shape. This plant was probably heterozygote for the neck. It is not an uncommon thing for heterozygotes, as they grow older, to show more or less of the recessive character present in them. Ifthe number of tomato plants produced had been large enough it would have been possible to find some of this type that were homozygote and would have produced necked fruit during the whole season. The next type has no sign of neck. (Type 4.) We have now seen the four types having green leaves. Two had yellow and two had red fruit. Both yellow and red fruits showed types with and without neck on the fruit. Next, we shall see four corresponding types having yellow foliage. The first two of them (types 5 and 6) have yellow fruit, and of these yellow leaved, yellow fruited types, No 5 has the neck, while No. 6 does not. ‘The other two yellow foliaged plants (types 7 and. 8) have red fruit, the first with neck, the second without. Type No. 8 is exactly like one of the original parent varieties. As already stated, type 1 was like the other parent. Types 2-7 represent new combinations of the characters of the parent varieties. The great value of Mendel’s law lies in the fact that by means of it we are able to secure any desired combination of characters that can be found in plants or animals closely enough related to permit of crossing. Let us now return to the case of the hybrid wheats mentioned above. In the State of Washington, which is a great wheat growing region, the only wheats the farmers had ever found satisfactory were three varieties of spring wheat. The winter wheats that had been tried would not stand up and would shatter their grain easily. These three varieties of spring wheat were nearly always sown in the fall, because when they did go through the winter they would yeild 50 percent more from fall sowing than from spring sowing; but about every third year they would freeze out. Farmers were eager for a good variety of winter wheat. At the Washington Ex- periment Station, with which I was connected at the time, we _ se- cured a large number of varieties of winter wheat, tested them five years to determine which were best, and then crossed eleven of the best winter varieties with two of these spring varieties, hoping to combine the winter character with the stiff straw and hard chaff of of the spring varieties. In this we were completely successful. The Washington State Experiment Station is now growing a large 2 OHIO CORN IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION number of these hybrids, having selected out the homozygotes, thus securing new and fixed types of winter wheat eminently adapted to the peculiar climate and soil conditions of that region. Last year a few of the best of these hybrids were distributed to the farmers. The reports this year indicate that they out-yielded all other va- rieties against which they were tested, and the farmers are very enthusiastic about them. 12,000 acres of these wheats have been sown this fall (1908). Thus, Mendel’s law is not simply a plaything but is a discovery of fundamental importance. It has already had important applications, and that it will have many others can not be questioned. FANCY POINTS IN BREEDS. _T will next call your attention toa great mistake that is made in establishing many breeds of live stock. In my work I have on various occasions seen cattle, of no special breed with a narrow belt of white just behind the shoulder extending clear around the body. Fortunately, no one has ever attempted to produce a breed of cattle with this particular form of color. It is entirely possible that sucha breed might be produced, and from the standpoint of the breeder who can see nothing but color might be highly advan- tageous; but it must be remembered that in trying to establish any such character there will for many years be a lot of heterozygotes in the breed and that mating them will produce animals without the desired character. Thus, some of the best animals produced in the breed will be sacrificed because they lack some character which has nothing to do with the real value of the animal. Any breed which has sucha handicap will be retarded in its developement. The white face of the Hereford cattle isa case in point. This is not the only breed that has suffered because of color requirements. It happens that this white belt I have mentioned, but in a different. form, has been fixed ona breed of cattle known as the “Dutch Belted.’’ In them the belt is broad and covers the entire middle of the body. ‘This breed has never amounted to much and probably never will as long as this color requirement is made of it. We have a similar character in the Hampshire breed of swine. These pigs are very pretty with their white belt around their shoulders, but many of the pigs born in this breed do not have perfectly devel- oped belts, and the effort to fix the belt has resulted in the sacrifice of many valuable animals. It is doubtfulif breeders of this breed should make the belt a requirement for registry. ANNUAL REPORT pS CONCLUSION. For lack of time I have been able to give you tonight only the merest outline of Mendel’s law and its conseqences. When the law was first discovered there was very naturally a great deal of enthusiasm about it, especially amongst the younger men, while some of the older men refused to recognize the validity of the law. There are very few left, now, however, who do not recognize in it an extremely valuable discovery. ‘The field of its application is as yet comparatively limited because we have worked out only a few hundred of the hereditary characters which obey Mendel’s law. Judging by past experience, there are many thousands of these characters yet undiscovered. The main work of the breeder now is to discover the Mendelian characters, while at the same time he is producing new and improved races. A few characters have been discovered which do not seem to follow Mendel’s law. ‘This may be because they obey some other law, or it may be because they are so complex on account of the presence of several Mendelian factors that we have not yet unraveled them. Perhaps some day, when we get through improving plants and domesticated animals, we may progress toa point where we can apply these important principles in improving a certain wild animal known to biologists by the dignified title of ““-Homo sapiens.”’ UTILIZATION OF CORN VARIATIONS. BY C. P. HARTLEY, IN CHARGE OF CORN INVESTIGATIONS, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. It is of much importance and interest that of all our agricultu- ral crops the one that represents the greatest money value is also one that lends itself readily to improvement by the utilization of its many variations. It matters but little what we call these variations. Whether they be called sports, mutations, individual variations or whatsoever we choose, the fact remains that this useful plant year by year continues to produce them, and that toa greater or less de- gree they are transmitted and can be perpetuated. If these variations make improvement possible, why not have as much variation as possible? Why strive for uniformity? As much variation as possible is desired by the one who is striving to originate new types. From this wide variation he can then select those individuals varying in a desired direction. Among these widely varying individuals is one that under the given conditions OHIO CORN IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION 14 Corn Stalk Variations iking Str ions lat Corn Stalk Var a (4 2) AY e 4 ; < iking Str 16 OHIO CORN IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION produces more and better grain thanall the others. It also pos- sesses toa greater or less degree the power of transmitting to its progeny this power of great production. It is therefore not the desire of the practical corn grower to grow-fields of widely varying individuals, but fields in which every individual will possess this power of great production. Practical agricultural operations de- mand a certain degree of uniformity and the desire is to have the uniformity approach as nearly as possible the most profitable in- dividual. Portion of a Southern Ohio Farm Where Careful Systematic Seed Selection And Preservation is Practiced, and Where 700 Acres Annually Yield About 75 Bushels of Corn Per Acre. “Ts there any limit to this improvement?’ some ask. After we have obtained a strain of corn that under given conditions will pro- duce 100 bushels per acre, variations will still be found. Some of the individuals will produce more than others. Can we then go on improving till a “200 bushels per acre” strainis produced? Quite likely. Accompanying the increased yield changes in the form of the plant may take place. A stronger root system or a more even distribution of the weight of the ear around the stalk may develop. Whether there is a limit or not, it is clear that as a corn growing state and country we have not as yet arrived half way to the limit and further progress necessitates more work and more careful work. Corn shows, corn trains, corn bulletins, and corn lectures are good things, but in themselves they do not increase the number of bushels peracre. They arouse interest, but if the actual field work , ANNUAL REPORT 17 is not performed the quality of our cornand our yields decline. It is the actual production, selection and perpetuation of the best and the weeding out of the undesirable that will produce profitable re- sults. The history of methods and operations in general show, that with certain crude methods, a limit of progress may be reached, beyond which further progress is possible by an improvement in methods. We have improved our methods, further improvement is possible, but the present need is not so much an improvement of our methods as it is a more general application of good methods. The Large Piles Were Produced by Ears Selected from High Yielding Parents—the Alternating and Smaller Piles by Ears Selected Because of Their Fine Appearance. At present only a very small percentage of farmers are using any systematic method for improving corn, or bettering the quality of the seed they plant. Wecan not hope for the general average production of a whole state to be materially increased till a con- siderable percentage of farmers apply good methods of seed corn production, selection and preservation. Through the efforts of this organization, your State Experiment Station, your University, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture there has been as much effective field work in corn breeding performed per square mile in Ohio as in any state. It is exceedingly encouraging that the yields obtained by the small percentage who are applying corn improve- ment methods are about double those of the entire State. The 18 OHIO CORN IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION Adaptation to Environment Shown by Southern Ohio and North Dakota Corn Fields following table shows the yields of three strains the Department is improving as compared with the yields of the entire State for the same years. The figures given are from ten-acre plats charac- teristic of the surrounding country and which received no fertilizers nor extra culture. ANNUAL REPORT 19 Average bushels per Acre 10 acre plat Entire State Corn Selection 77 on river bottom, Ohio NGOS cree eee esd cate on aces 63 30 IG Se aA Eel ecraane ta taco, etrar sa aar 90 33 AGO DR e ae te ciel Setainetcice cea: 74 38 TO Oaetee aalccr eae ba acme 64 43 AG) fart eiiccotn ene estates 85 35 Mvenapetnn uke ee 75.2 35.8 Corn Selection 78 on upland, Ohio HOQS etic so Sace cae aes 32 30 OTE aS on hda iseasasodone sedu 49 33 SOD SET va caraae act Cio caaies 72 38 TG GR toe teen eee eeecee ene 47 43 1907.. ee Saae noes 65 35 Average..-..-- Sie Manian eas 53 | 35.8 Corn Selection 133, Wisconsin QOS SE ater reas tela cierto t= | 82 38 IQ0G Foes ese nyse een sate 84 41 Iie Saaaino Secu Renee se eee 100 32 INK ASHE eg ASS Be Dopo nama Or 88 66 37 General Average...... ....-. | 69.76 36.07 Itis possible for the average pro- duction of corn per acre of every state to be doubled, not only without extra expense, but ata great saving of labor and land. Fortunately this statement is more especially applicable to the principal corn producing states. When natural selection assists man’s efforts the results are more rapidly accomplished, as in case of the northward extension of our corn belt. Some of the northern states have been doubling their total pro- duction with each succeeding decade. On the contrary, when environment favors an undesirable character, such Be siigle randt 1ielswAke of the)? fertile land and long seasons favor- Same Variety. Row 118-2 Was ing excessive stalk growth, more og "Ser G GL, Fi) : ov Oo, +), oe i> oor Oe, GV FO(. ant ny ws ae G6 ey A Crooked-rowed Ear and the Crop it Produced,;Which Consisted of 53 Straight and 47 Crooked-rowed Ears. (Contrast These Results With Results Obtained from Straight-rowed Ear) 26 OHIO CORN IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION Types of Kernels Various 6 t> x ++ (UIOD J99MS) UP9IZIIAY S,[[9M03g g s]9u13ay AoJOD A[snoweA YM uUs1oddod 1e2q ST sung UedIXSY ¢Z qegng yjourwepy 2 JUIN MOTIPA pamos-zZ] 9 QUIT MOTJaA) UIOD aayUeZX ¢ in < BUI ALON ZZ P WUE MOTPA ALEA 12 UIoy Pod 0& 3JOAOD OP STR] 6Z WUNA BUM € ulog AUIWIOF ¢ WUNA MOEA Z JU MOUPA T ulod 1e3ng pay TI (UIOD JIaMS) AqSOID OT dod) a01y 231U.M $1 (uio05 2799MS) ueUurs[}US*+) AljUNO, 6 (usoadod) [4@aq UaPIox) ET (ut0D JoaMS) UBTXAY] YOeI_ ZI (u10 UEC PaXtAl OZ U2 PaXTIAL 61 U2 pey sg] yOdg aU MA YUM jUEq Pex LT (u10ddod) [1e29qg FU MA OL yUSq Pex 1Z yueqd aU 92 We MOTIPA SZ 1U2q MUM $Z P22g PINOy gZ ANNUAL REPORT sii isi best pene dace ira) ceungntartearene bast +995 veaee tee ee tere re Si soe Peet ee ot ees fan s , Se ee | aS sore daepraat . fe eieeee* TN Grreee eee TEE Coy nna IP rrrvores ouge! rawahisby iisassoabse ; mia + pyeresseatnies jaggy 1st Bee.: Ye A oy ap aa Sr Eat a ees KX) iid MUTT TNT LEA aati irene Banga ee , PUTTY gti Waist i i erg eHebgaNRND ED a Eseann Re swt ee emcee meer usu? BST ea sth niseaeee ae Oho Gig bbe iat neee! Mm ma wr wrk eH 28 OHIO CORN IMPOVEMENT ASSOCIATION SOME CORN STATISTICS. By H. H. Johnson, Special Agent, Bureau of Statistics, U. S. Department of Agriculture. ~ The United States produces about four fifths of the world’s ;- corn. Inthe last forty years Ohio has raised more than four billion bushels, which is about 5.6 percent of the total production for the United States for the same period. In recent years Ohio ; has contributed about 5 percent to the total corn production of the United States, although her acreage is less than 4 percent of the total area in cornin the United States. In 1908 Ohio produced practically 5 percent of the corn of the United States, on 3.4 per- cent of the total acreage. Ohio has the distinction of surpassing all the important corn producing states in the average yield per acre. Proud of being the Mother of Presidents she has reason to be equally proud of her record in corn production. The only states which produce larger yields per acre are Maine, Massachusetts and Connecticut, and their total acreage is insignificant, being less than 1-17th of the area of Ohio alone; hence, they may be practically ignored. Seven States, having a larger area, excel Ohio in total pro duction, namely: Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Missouri, Kansas, Indiana and Texas. ‘Two other states, Georgia and Oklahoma, have larger areas in corn but smaller total production. Kentucky and Tennessee have, in a number of years, exceeded Ohio in corn area but never in total output. It may be interesting to note that the first ten states in area of corn are; Illinois with 9,450,000 acres or 9.2 percent of the total area lowa ee 9,068,000 oe “ce 9. ee ee ee Se of Texas ee 7,854,000 ee ee TES oe ee ee ee se bs Nebraska ¢ © to 7621000. = $6 Se Teb SS Ae eee ee ra : Mascouna’ 6°. 7725420007 < 86 1 Se AN ge ceo One Cee ta a Ransas << So (7700;000- 7-20 655) ACG Le Se Oe eter Zee cease ane Oklahomia-*-' 4,929,000. > £5 0-565. 480 Sta #0 > ee ae ‘ Indiana’ act: ".4,549-000.02 ia SS Oe eee erie Georgia ee 4 300 000 ee ce 4 5 ce oe ee “ce ce fo) tft ’ . Ohio ce 3,550,000 ce ee 3.4 oe ce ee : 66 ce These States contain over 65 percent of the total acreage of the United States and produce more than two-thirds of the entire crop of corn. 4 I~ ANNUAL REPORT 29 The first ten States in production for the year 1908 are: Total production = Bushels per acre in Baghele Illinois 31.6 294,860,000 Iowa 31.7 287,456,000 Nebraska Die 205,767,000 Missouri Bile 203,634,000 Texas 2527. 201,848,000 Kansas DPR 152,900,000 Indiana 20.35 137,835,000 Ohio 38.5 130,900,000 Oklahoma 24.8 122,239,000 Kentucky 25% 84,823,000 These ten States produce a total of 1,793,877,000 bushels or about me-percent of the. total crop for the year 1908, - valued at $1,130,000,000. The average yield per acre in Ohio is about 35 percent greater than the average yield for the United States as a whole. /The relatively low average for the United States is due to the small yield in the Southern States. Georgia, fer instance, with a larger area in corn than Ohio, produces only about one third as much to the acre. Her ten-year avearge yield is 10.8 bushels, while her yield for the year 1908 was 12.5 bushels per acre. The ten-year average yield in the United States for the decade ending in 1908 and including the crop of 1908 was 25.6 bushels per acre. ‘The ten-year average yield in Ohio for the same ten years was 35.1 bushels. The preliminary estimate of the yield for the United States for the year 1908 was 26.2 bushels per ~ acre and the yield for the State of Ohio was 38.5 bushels, showing that Ohio more than maintained her reputation for leading the United States. The highest ten-year average production in Ohio was during the decade ending in 1879, when it was 36 bushels. From 1879 there was an almost steady decline until 1895, when the ten-year average yield was 29 bushels for the period ending in the year 1895. Since 1895 there has been a steady increase in the average yield per acre in Ohio until, at the present time, the ten-year average yield is almost as high as at any previous period and amounts to 35.1 bushels per acre. And, were it not for the one very poor year in that decade, namely 1901, when the yield in Ohio was 26.1 bushels and for the United States only 16.7 bushels per acre, the ten-year average at the present time would exceed the previous high mark of 36. bushels. 30 OHIO CORN IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION In 1906 Ohio produced her banner crop and by far outclassed allother important states in her average yield per acre. The prospect for a crop at the time of harvest that year was 99 percent of a full normal crop. The average yield per acre that year was 42.6 bushels and the total production for Ohio 141,645,000 bushels on 3,325,000 acres. The same year Indiana witha prospect at harvest for 96 per- cent of a full normal crop produced 39.6 bushels. Illinois with a prospect of 87 percent of a crop, 36.1 bushels and the United States average yield for that year reached the respectable figures of 30.3 bushels per acre. It is safe to predict that it will be a long time before acombination of large acreage and almost perfect con- dition will again occur. According to the yield of 1906 we would expect a full crop in Ohio to yield better than 44 bushels per acre on an average. It must be remembered, however that the standard of a full or normal crop may and does change. I hope that the time. will speedily come in Ohio when a full normal crop, or 100 percent, will mean an average of 50 bushels to the acre. Improved seed, methods of selecting the same, cultivation, fer- tilizers and rotation will accomplish this result in time. A neglect of these same things will reduce the average yield of corn and all other crops and with their neglect Ohio would not only lose her proud place in the agricultural world, but the great State of which we are so proud would become a debtor and possibly a bankrupt. To use avery broad and comprehensive term a conservation of resources is necessary if the productive capacity is to be preserved and improved. ‘The problem of the tenant must be met and attention directed toward future production, and “skinning” the land must be stopped. During the past ten years there has been a marked decrease in the quality of corn received at our principal markets. There is a great difference of opinion as to the cause of the decline in quality. ‘There are those who say that the seed is too large and produces a variety that will not mature in our average season. The gentlemen who are devoting their time and talents to seed and soils may be relied upon to give you correct advice for your locality. The quality of the 1908 crop is good; considerably above the ten-year average quality. There is food for thought in the quality of the last crop. It took an unusual season to make the quality of the corn. It is conceded that the dry weather made the quality. Will such weather be necessary in the future to assure a good quality? : fi | » ANNUAL REPORT 31 The crop of 1907 was the other extreme and after a -very wet season we had corn in Marchand April that was not dry, and much of it never did cure. Both of these seasons were out of the ordinary and cannot be used as examples. It has been demonstrated that good instruction, good _ soil, good seed and a proper mixture of brains with the soil, has kept Ohio in the front rank of corn producers. The State which pro- duces the largest average yield per acre in the United States is surely Queen of the King of crops. The great work of the agriculturist is in its infancy. ‘The splendid work of our Colleges and Universities, Experiment Stations, State Departments of Agriculture, and the United States Department of Agriculture, so ably guided for the past twelve years by Secretary Wilson, will be prosecuted in the future with im- mense benefits to the progress of Agriculture and to the material prosperity of a great and resourceful country. By request Mr. Johnson supplemented his remarks by giving a brief synopsis of the methods of gathering crop statistics and issuing reports. Interestin the subject was manifested by the number of questions asked by the audience, at the close of the address, which were answered by the speaker. The lateness of the hour prevented a detailed explanation of the crop reporting methods but enough was said to show the thoroughness with which the work is done and the audience was invited to investigate the work of the Bureau of Statistics and to.co-operate in giving in- formation which reverts to the benefit of the farmers of the United States. REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON IMPROVING CORN VARIETIES I. S. COOK, JR., CHILLICOTHE JAMES W. COOK, FOREST FRANK PLESSINGER, VERSAILLES PHILIP BAER, JR., CANAL DOVER CYRUS LONG, LONDON The importance of improving corn varieties which the farmers are growing in this state and the question which farmers are asking every day, whether or not they should get seed corn of a different variety from what they are growing by sending out of their county or state for it. necessitates a report and discussion at the state corn meeting upon experiences of farmers along this line of work. Hav- ing been set to work by this association our committee has prepared the following report: 32 OHIO CORN IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION In considering the most important and best known varieties in this state we may name the following of the yellow varieties: Reid’s Yellow Dent Medina Pride Clarage _ Early Huron Leaming Darke County Mammoth Hildreth Riley’s Improved Favorite Golden Surprise Farmers’ Favorite We also find a large number of strains, most of which originated by selection and lack of selection, from these yellow varieties. Strains of corn that, doubtless had a common origin, have become so changed that some of them have a growing period sf six months, reaching a height of eighteen or more feet, while others ripen in 90 days, having attained a height of four or five feet. These changes are the result of selection. By selection a strain can be greatly improved in production and at the same time adapted to the soil and climatic conditions of the locality in which it is being improved. Because of differences in soil, climate and length of growing season, acorn, improved in one locality, does not afford the best seed for localities which are unlike it. It is therefore essential that we have breeders in nearly every county in the state. A few of our best known varieties of white corn are: Boone County White Silver Mine Farmers’ Friend Forsyth’s Favorite Dungan’s White Prolific Now in looking over the yellow varieties, we see a great differ- ence in the time it takes to mature the corn of the Reid’s yellow dent variety and the Early Huron. ‘The Clarage corn is a mean between the two, and if the Clarage corn will mature in the central and north central counties, and can be made productive by selection and breed- ing, why send to some other state fora variety of which we do not know the time it will take to mature in our soiland locality? Do we send away for a variety of corn because we think it will give a better appearance in the show ring regardless of its yielding qualities in bushels per acre? If this is the reason we are hurting our bank account. Asageneral thing we donot recommend going outside of the state nor éven to counties in the state which havea different latitude from the locality in which we are growing corn. Ifa farmer cannot decide ona variety of corn to grow, let him take several of the varieties we have mentioned and runa variety test for himself and find out which variety does best for him and ANNUAL REPORT 33 then grow and improve this variety. We also recommend that farmers ina certain locality get together and runa variety test for two or three years in succession and find out who has the most profitable corn for that locality. If we cannot conduct either one of the above tests, we may set to work to improve the variety of corn we are growing if we believe itis fairly productive without having been improved to any great extent in a systematic way. We recommend that we improve this variety, by selecting in the field from the plant those ears which we believe represent the desired type or the type which suits us best, testing these ears in the ear-to-row test and crossing the highest yielding ears. ‘ We believe this method of improving corn varieties is better than introducing other varieties of which we do not know the yielding qualities. Suppose we had a neighbor who was growing a mixed variety of corn and we were growing a pure variety and trying to improve it by selection and breeding, now what would we do? We suggest that we get our neighbors together and agree to runa variety test and find out who has the best variety of corn and then each one grow and improve that variety. REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON EDUCATIONAL TRAINS H. C. PRICE, O. S. U.. COLUMBUS H. W. ROBINSON, GREEN SPRING JOHN CUNNINGHAM, GAMBIER H. S. GRIMES, PORTSMOUTH J. W. McCORD, COLUMBUS The first movement in Ohio of agricultural special trains took place in December, 1906, during holiday week. The train was run over the Cincinnati Northern, a division of the Big Four Railway System, and consisted of two audience cars, in which lectures were given on corn and alfalfa respectively. The trip was begun at Germantown and ended at West Unity, covering one hundred and fifty-one miles, making sixteen stops, with audiences that ranged from fifty to two hundred and fifty in number. ‘The trip was highly satisfactory, both to the parties who participated in it and to the railroad officials. The next trains were run in the spring of 1907, over the Balti- more & Ohio Southwestern and the Pennsylvania Railroads. ‘The trains were made up similarly to the one run over the Cincinnati Northern and the audiences and interest manifested were all that could be expected. 34 OHIO CORN IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION The train on the B. & O. S-W. was started at Columbus on April 2nd., and ran as far as Blanchester the first day; on April 3rd., it covered the territory from Blanchester to Chillicothe; on April 4th., 5th. and 6th., it covered the lines from Columbus to Morrow; from Morrow to New Paris, and from New Paris to Columbus. In the five days the train covered three hundred and ninety miles and made > forty-two stops. During the past year, trains have been run over four different roads as follows: Cincinnati, Hamilton & Dayton, January 2nd., 3rd. and 4th.; Norfolk & Western, March 19th.; Cincinnati & Musk- ingum Valley, March 20th.; Toledo & Ohio Central, March 26th. and 27th. Nearly nine hundred miles were covered on these four trips, occupying seven days; during this time addresses were made at sixty-two places to about eight thousand people. ‘The interest was good in all cases and the attendance at all stations averaged large. These trains have enabled the men in the College of Agriculture and the Experiment Station to reach the farmers in larger numbers than they could possibly do in any other manner. ‘The interest that this work aroused in the testing and selecting of better seed corn has doubtless done a great deal for the agriculture of our state and the improvement of the corn crop. Negotiations were made during the year with the Baltimore & Ohio, Clover Leaf, Nickel Plate and Wabash railroads relative to the running of special trains and some of these negotiations are still pending. Your committee has found the railroad officials uniformly favor- ably disposed to this work and glad to do what they can to further it, but, in many cases, the officials who are the most appreciative of the work are not in positions of authority and the officers to whom the decisions in regard to the trains have to be referred are not in position to see their actual value. Your committee would, therefore, recommend to communities that are desirous of having these trains that the matter should be taken up with your railroad, calling attention to what has been done in other sections of the state, and the need of it in your own com- - munity. Resolutions adopted by farmers’ organizations, such as farmers’ institutes, granges, county corn improvement associations, etc., if forwarded to the proper railroad officials (whose names can be secured through your local railway agent) will receive most respect- ful attention and probably bring results. If the railroads find out there isareal demand for these trains they will take steps to provide them. a ANNUAL REPORT 35 After arrangements have been made for the trains, their success depends upon the local interest at the different stops. One or two good, active, live men, who will do some personal work inadvertising the trains, will accomplish more than all the printed material that can be sent out. H. C, Price; Chairman. REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON MARKETING CORN. H. W. ROBINSON, GREEN SPRINGS W.M. HARDMAN, YELLOW SPRINGS T. E. BOWSHER, WAPAKONETA The true purpose of this association is to increase the revenue to be derived from the corn crop of Ohio, whether it be derived directly by marketing or indirectly by feeding on the farm. In so doing the matters of seed, variety, soil preparation, culture, harvesting and production are indeed important factors, yet we should not overlook the most advantageous means of direct reali- zation from the crop, especially since of the approximate average annual production, which may be placed at 125,000,000 bushels, 25 to 30 percent is emptied into our elevators. It is of little consequence to the grain merchant or the con- sumer who buys the corn whether or not the seed from which it was grown tested high in germinating power; whether or not the variety was true to name; whether the soil and preparation were without fault or whether the yield was large or small. ‘Their interest centers in the real value based on quality and condition. Of the leading cereals handled through the average elevator of the southern states corn has proved the most difficult and uncertain. The chief source of trouble has been the element of moisture. While it is no more within the power of the grower to eliminate excess of moisture in unfavorable seasons and during certain months or periods of curing than it is within his power to regulate atmospheric conditions, yet he must learn that this element goes largely to determining the basis upon which the value is calculated, resting of course upon the prevailing market price. . The degree of its presence has been considered from the earliest period of the corn traffic asa business in the commercial world, but only within very recent years has it been recognized and become a factor in the formation of grades. Science has found and offered the solution, whereby we are able to determine with accuracy the presence of moisture by the moisture-tester today in general use in our markets and in the grain trade. At 36 OHIO CORN IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION the last meeting of the Grain Dealers’ National Association, held last month, at which uniform grades of all grain were adopted, we find this test embodied as one of the requisites in establishing grades of corn. For example, the rules specify that No. 1 shelled corn shall not contain more than 15 percent moisture; No. 2 not more than 16 percent, No. 3 not more than 19 percent and No. 4 not more than 22 percent. Moisture thusis the principal element forming the difference in price of different grades. Not only has this test been the means of placing the handling of corn on a safer and more pleasant basis for the grain merchant, but it serves the purpose of making corn a high value collateral. Another element that goes to make up the grade of corn is color. We find a difference in our markets of from 1 to 3 cents per bushel because of the color alone. In our Northern markets yellow ranks the highest in value, while in the South white corn commands the highest price. It would appear from this that it is not a matter of preference in color but rather of quality, as it seems to be generally true that yellow varieties thrive best in .the North while the white does best in the South. Mixed corn, regardless of colors, is always the lowest in market value, and in our leading markets today is from 2 1-2 to 3 cents per bushel lower than yellow. ‘Thus it would seem to be largely a matter of aesthetic taste even though we are slow to acknowledge this as the true reason. Nevertheless it appears to be a fact that the beautiful golden corn appeals to the eye of both the feeder and the miller to the extent of 1 to2 cents per bushel. However, with a view to justice to the successful grower of white corn, it would be no more than fair to assume that his corn might be of equal value in comparison with yellow if the white varieties were more generally cultivated; but until they are he must be content with second place in the industry as faras marketing is concerned. There is no consolation to offer to the grower of mixed corn. Even though he produce a corn high in quality he must always expect to be seated on the rear benches of our markets and think of his position, as a Greek philospher expresses it, “a delightful prejudice.” Maturity does not necessarily enter into this discussion. It might be well however to urge the necessity of growing corn that will be sure to ripen in the average season, for immature corn can only be of low value and even at its real value it is hard to place in the markets. ‘This leads us to sorting, which should not be overlooked. Regardless of season or care in culture on the part of the grower, there will be found a greater or less number of soft or immature ears. Better leave them in the fiield to rot than ANNUAL REPORT 37 haul them to market. They not only spoil the general appearance of the corn and reduce the grade, but the grain buyer is afraid of them and he not only cuts the price according to the grade but if he has been in business long enough to have paid for his experience in handling unsorted corn by having a crib of it rot in the center or a bin of it burn he will also figure on some insurance as you may call it, which means more cut in the price. The grower should sort his corn then before taking it to market to realize the most money out of it He should also sort his feeding corn or he may lose by heating during the curing process. However the risk is not so great ina small crib. Soft corn may be fed to stock on the farm with some value, while it is not only worthless in the market but reduces the value of the good corn. In sorting it is not neces- sary to discard ears because they are small provided the kernels are matured. Again a limited proportion of small kernels need not lower the grade if they are sound. It would seem that our markets might consider the food value, or amount of protein, in arriving at the value of corn. However this point has never gained recognition and we must look for the benefit to be derived from the breeding of corn high in protein to come in the form of a higher general standard of value as com- pared with other grain. So much for the corn itself; but since the most of the corn marketed in this state is brought to the elevator in the ear the amount and condition of the cob is also of marked importance. Thus far the grain dealer has found the buying of cobs an _ un- profitable business, and of course he only wants to buy what is necessary to get the corn. ‘The cob is far more susceptible to change in moisture than the torn. It is unnecessary to state that a large cob is always objectionable to the buyer, because the larger the cob the greater the change in the weight of the ear according to the variations in atmospheric conditions. Two years ago this month a test was made witha new ear of corn having a very large cob which was brought intoan office. It weighed 22 ounces. It was weighed each day thereafter for ten days, and at the end of that period it weighed 15 1-2 ounces a loss of 29 1-2 percent. The corn was in average condition and its possible shrinkage was not more than 3 percent making the loss on cob moisture 261-2 percent. While this test is extreme, yet it is presented in order to illustrate the possible. ‘Thus we can see that the farmer would better pro- duce 45 bushels per acre of average sized cob than to have produced 60 bushels per acre of such large cob corn. It is of common in- terest to the grower and buyer to breed a cob no larger than is necessary to produce a good ear, and to produce the greatest number of bushels per acre. 38 OHIO CORN IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION The introduction of the shredder and husker during recent years should divert our attention to the husking of corn. Machine husked corn seldom commands the price of hand husked corn, because there is more or less corn removed from the cob in the process, thus reducing the value of the ear. Again, corn husked in this way generally comes to market in a half husked condition unless the farmer has gone to the labor of rehusking it. From this the waste is increased and with the loss of corn mentioned can but result in a reduction of price. Again, the corn removed from the cob is more or less crushed and broken, making it of a low value and practically unmerchantable. While husking machinery is being improved from year to year, yet these ob- jections have not been overcome. Farmers pronounce it more expensive than hand husking but say they can better utilize the stover, while on the other hand they are driven to it because of the inability to procure labor to hand husk it. Machine husking has been dubbed ““hogging’’ by the grain dealers, and it seems de- serving of the name. It should certainly be repulsive to the farmer who takes pride in producing a nice corn to see it coming forth from the machine in a mangled, half husked condition. So far the method has proven unpracticable and unprofitable to the farmer and annoying to the buyer and therefore should not be encouraged. We would finally call the attention to care in hauling corn to market. Winter being the most convenient time for marketing corn we too frequently see it being hauled in rain or snow without being covered. We should carefully note that corn should receive the same attention in this respect that wheat or any other grain does. In conclusion we can but urge the necessity of co-operation between the grower and the buyer. In this era of equity and jus- tice what is beneficial to the one in demanding a corn in the market of high quality should be equally so to the other in commanding the highest market price. Harmony of purpose can but result in a mutual benefit. If for any reason the farmer is unable to deliver good corn to the market he should not expect the highest price. On the other hand the buyer should not pay the top price for it because by so doing he discourages the interest to deliver good corn. We must conclude then that it is within the power of the grain merchant to accomplish much in the way of inducing the grower to produce and market better corn by buying on the merit of the corn. Your committee on marketing would commend to the association a further consideration of this important factor throughout the coming year. H. W. Rosinson, Chairman. ANNUAL REPORT 39 REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON ROTATIONS AND FERTILIZERS. ALFRED VIVIAN, O. S. U., COLUMBUS TASSO TERRELL, NEW VIENNA O. H. FAWCETT, BELLEFONTAINE FRANK BALYEAST, VAN WERT DAN EGBERT, TIFFIN Your committee on Rotations and Fertilizers has very little to offer at this time in the way of a report. This committee was appointed only a few weeks ago and has had no opportunity to meet and formulate areport. Last evening three members of the com- mittee held a short session in which they agreed on the plan of action herein described for the ensuing year. This committee does not feel that it is sufficiently well informed regarding the rotations or fertilizers in use at the present time by the farmers of Ohio to be able to make a report on present practice that will be of any value. The committee therefore proposes merely to outline for the Association its proposed line of action for the ensuing year without making any suggestions at this time as to the advisability of any system of rotation or fertilization. As far as we can find, no very exhaustive study of the rotations and fertilizers used by the corn growing farmers of this state has been made up to the present time. We feel that we can do no more valuable work for the coming year than to attempt to collect some- what extensive data on this point. In other words we feel thata knowledge of what is actually being done by our corn growers (both good and bad) at the present time is absolutely necessary before we can outline work for the future or make suggestions which will have any likelihood of being practically valuable. For this reason we propose to devote the major part of our time for the coming year to collecting all the data possible regarding the rotations and the methods of fertilization now practiced in the different counties of the state. The state will probably be divided into sections, each section being the especial object of study for one member of the committee. It will be necessary for us to call on the members of the local associations for aid and we hereby earnestly request their coopera- tion in what we realize is an undertaking of considerable magnitude. The secretaries of the county associations especially can render us most efficient assistance and we hope that our request for aid which will be sent out in due time will meet with their hearty cooperation. We desire to know just what rotations are used in every county of the state, andif manures and fertilizers are used, what kind, in what quantity and when such fertilizers are applied. If the different local 40 OHIO CORN IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION. associations will meet the committee half way in gathering this statistical information we feel sure that we can collect a lot of data that will be valuable not only to this association but to agriculture at larce. While it is not possible to foretell the results of sucha study there is no reason to doubt that the facts and figures so acquired will give us a basis for an intelligent study of rotation and fertiliza- tion as they exist and will point the way to valuable suggestions as to future policy—suggestions which should lead to better practice. The committee feels that it cannot leave this subject without -recommending to the members of this association that they all make, during the coming winter, a careful study of Bulletins 182 and 183 © of the Ohio Experiment Station. These bulletins, epitomizing as they do the many years of investigation carried on by Director Thorne with manures and fertilizers on various crops are replete with information which should be in the hands of every farmer. These bulletins should not be read superficially but should be studied assiduously and be madea part of the very life of the farmer who is trying to make his farm yield him the best profit, and who at the same time desires to maintain and improve the fertility of his soil. The more one studies these bulletins the more he is impress- ed with the wonderful possibilities of crop production under intelligent handling of the soil. One of the instructive points brought out by this study of the maintenace of fertility is the apparent fact that the soil is the fundamental thing in determin- ing the fertilizer to be used and not the crop grown thereon. In other words that the fertilizer which will produce best results with one crop ona given soil is likely to be the one which will pro- duce best results with all crops on the same soil. The farmer therefore may feel sure that one systemof fertilizing may be used for all his crops provided he adopts the system which is most rational for his soil. These bulletins show also that stable manure is the fertilizer par excellence for corn and, conversely that corn is the crop which gives the most marked returns for the use of stable manure. ‘This fact is borne out by the results obtained at other experiment stations, so that we can safely say that for corn at least stable manure gives better returns than any combination of commercial fertilizers. A study of Bulletin 183 will show that the very largest return on corn was obtained from stable manure reinforced with forty pounds of acid phosphate to the ton of manure. Wouldn’t it pay everybody to use a little acid phosphate or floats with the manure? ALFRED VIVIAN ANNUAL REPORT 41 DONATION OF THE OHIO FARMER TROPHY CUP. BY JOHN F. CUNNINGHAM, EDITOR OHIO FARMER, CLEVELAND. I assure you that it gives me genuine pleasure to be able to address this. association, and to present the Ohio Farmer sterling silver cup, to be awarded annually for the best county display at the state corn show. Judging from the activity of the men in charge, we all anticipated that this show and meeting would beagreat success, and this anticipation is certainly borne out by the unprecedented attendance, and by the great selection of good corn to be seen in the exhibition halls. As for the Ohio Corn Improvement Association, I believe that we are all more than satisfied with its re- markable growth. Most of us were amazed, Jast evening, when the membership was reported to be something over two. thousand. Such a membership, in an organization that is not yet a yearling, not only demonstrates the fact that the association is being managed by hustlers, but also the more important fact that the farmers of Ohio are taking a genuine and active interest in better corn and more of it. ° The prizes at the show arearich lot, and the interest in the competing exhibits is keen, but it is quite essential to the success of the movement for better corn that weall realize that the corn show is not the final result sought. The show is but one of the means used to accomplish the real result, which is to interest every corn grower in improving every stalk of corn to be grown upon his farm. ‘Thus the corn show, with its prizes for the winners, will bring about good results, indirectly, just as did a promise made by an old-time German vineyardist, according to the story. This man, upon his death bed, told his sons that somewhere in the vineyard was buried a pot of gold; if they searched for it they would find it and be richly rewarded. Whenthe aged man had been laid to rest,the sons began to dig about among the roots of the grapevines in search of the hidden treasure. Time went by and still they searched fruit- lessly. They never found the gold, but their stirring of the soil made the grapevines take on new life, and the increase in the fruit was worth far more to them, with its attendant lesson, than the pot of gold would ever have been. In the same way, farmers who try to improve their corn so as to wina prize in the corn show will study corn, think corn and talk corn, to the lasting benefit, not only of themselves but of their neighbors also. ‘These trophies then, are intended not only as prizes for the winners, but as an encourage- ment to all who grow corn. 42 OHIO CORN IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION A city man once decided to go into the poultry business. So he built a fine chicken-house and equipped house and yard with the most up-to-date appliances. Then he went toa fancier to get his stock and was prevailed upon to buy bantams. Much to his disappointment the eggs were small, and, feed the hens how he might, he could not increase the size of the eggs. So, one day, he noticed some ostrich eggs for sale down town, and an inspiration struck him. He bought one of the big eggs, punched holes in either end and hung it up in plain view of his bantam hens. and under the ostrich egg he hung a sign, printed in large letters, which read: “Keep your eyes on this and do the best you can.’”’ And so I say to the corn growers of Ohio, keep these trophies in mind, and do the best you can, not only to win the trophies, but to make more and better corn. ANNUAL REPORT 43 Inasmuch as this trophy is a cup, it seems to me that an ap- propriate toast would be in good taste, sol wish to offer this one, which occurred to me on the train, yesterday: To Indian Corn—the King of American farm crops. An inspira- tion to the husbandman when its first green streaks of promise appear upon the fresh ground of the springtime. A solace of the heated season when its rustling blades whisper promises of benefits to come. A reward for industry, diligence and good judgment when the tented fields show that the harvest has been garnered, and the sheltering husk yields forth its treasures of white and gold. DONATION OF THE NATIONAL STOCKMAN AND FARMER TROPHY CUP BY E. S. BAYARD, ASSOCIATE EDITOR, NATIONAL STOCKMAN AND FARMER, PITTSBURG, PA. While Iam surprised at being called out to present this cup I must say that the duty is alsoa pleasure. It is always a pleasure to encourage an association of this kind, and the National Stockman and Farmer is always ready to doit in whatever way it can. But I take it that long speeches are not necessary to encourage any association, and I have known them to have the opposite effect on some, so I shall be brief. Ionce heard a story about a Kentuckian of the olden time who departed this life and for whose funeral no minister could be had, soa neighbor was called on tosay a few words. He arose and said: ‘The deceased was a good citizen. He raised good cocks and fought them; he kept good whiskey and he drank it; he bred good horses and he raced them. He wasa model citizen.”” Whether all you gentlemen can qualify under the old Kentucky definition I do not know, but I trust that when the time comes at least it may be said of each of you, ‘‘He grew good corn and he showed it,” and, judging by the exhibits in these other rooms, it can be said of many. Iam a firm believer in the utility of corn shows. They are good to stir us up, to show us all types and perhaps better types of corn than we have. When you getathousand or two thousand corn- growers together to talk corn you are bound to do somebody some good and are very likely to do many people much good. But while all this and much more is true of the corn show we must not lose sight of the main object of all this corn work. This object is not corn show, it is not show corn, but it is more bushels of good corn to the acre. ‘That is the object, gentlemen, and it should be kept in 44 OHIO CORN IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION mind. ‘T‘he show is one means to that end, these lectures are another, the demonstrations we have in the field are another, but none of these is the chief end or object. More corn to the acre should be the slogan of the corn improver. With these suggestions I leave the cup with you, trusting that it may add some interest to your contests. You have a great show and a great meeting for afirstattempt—upon which you should be congratulated and for which Iam sure you have your hard-working officers to thank. ANNUAL REPORT 45 DONATION OF THE FARM MANGEMENT TROPHY CUP. BY W. J. SPILLMAN, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. This beautiful cup has been donated to the association by friends who are interested in the development of the farm management investigations now being conducted by the Ohio State Experiment Station in cooperation with the Office of Farm Management, which I have the honor to represent. It is appropriate on this occasion to review briefly the origin of farm management investigtions in the Department of Agriculture and to give the history of the establish- ment of cooperative relations with the Ohio Experiment Station in this work. ; In 1894 assumed the responsibility for the experimental field work of the Experiment Station of the state of Washington, the region being one with whose agriculture I was not familiar. ro o<5 2S S$25<) a ANNUAL REPORT 294 HARDIN & Jar 3 \ z ANANKS- 2 ENN = w « ™m @ S\N LZ. q ~O OSHOCTON ‘ CicKIN LES ELAWARE TSS 3 z =O ,0,8, AN Liz ~ OX2SS CHAMPAIGN SSS 2 Z SO 53 5 rS2 ms ise 26 MONROE ran 35bu. Average Yield of Counties for the Decade 1850-1859. More t Compiled from the County Assessors’ Reports. 35bu. 30 - = 2S2 O95 Sa sooeeacee PS 7 © o Se 2S statens tes RS : MAP 1. Less than 30bu. Legend 58 OHIO CORN IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION 3 0: L nes ASHTABULA pare SERBS | ote D 24 Zs chs SSNS es A ‘ FE od SoS525 ro ULT ON 7 Tes2Ses$ es + NS EWiLuiams LL SOLOS OSC OT TAW, eS ZSSORT Ss A tH bo 4 d SANDUSKY ERIE LORAIN SSIS PG <3 37. ai Bi. SE HLE 34054, YAZ2z Zs 3 A ZEB S IEG 5 3 wranooT Acaawrono po z MAINE es k $34 % i RICHLAND pSoscoteseteses 27 IZ: Kod 5 2 ZZ. Sey 3 17 O a SI " < g ’ HARDIN vee ae LZ IZ73! 97. CARROLL PES SLL y; N 2 COS2SS9 MORROW 73 2. gop Ba eS 7. LLL 7 we NOX 733.0 gruscatawas B VTE CLAS SACO & ANF 2.9 [ke COSHOCTON Fo HARRISON Sy SHELBY. Bes 42 Se Y. ze AY AUNION DELAWARE 3eS2SzSeome Sa ; ys 3 2, OS ey RS SOE 7 eae SERS af S ¥ 2x3 AD S25] 2. DARKE pe5F oo CHAMPAIGN 2 one GUERNSEY C7 ss a CaS RS $2525 4 St 2 >; oe SRS Pees eSeSeS 4 Vata a g23)e % ay Kae SSeS SoSe4 AN Sind 9 a aD rsou A j24.2 T[GALLIA ZZi2 3.67) LAWRENCE cs Less than 30bu. 30 — 35bu. More than 35bu. MAP 2. Average Yield of Counties for the Decade 1890-1899. Compiled from the County Assessors’ Reports. Bw) ANNUAL REPORT SS 5 ; ASATABAS A Ll tat Erie. “igs = S RSS JESS i200 7 i eral Beal i 3. 6] LORAIN RICHLAN! E = | WILLIAMS | eee | pea was eg CARROLL ee VW/2 Gd 2--V//,9 ay ¢ 2 ° = rs) L111 Ree Sz SCARAWAS | | S S =~ ( SE) Aeon); IS) 2 Loe] = oie Ng > . oe —-— i 5 9/8 § a: z aS 23| QZ asec bse y @ Bi Aerote sare Nes |: | to 1 ,< “ he Wp pt ANS Ee ee Ole es | ee ee: LSPS EulGe oles | a) \ | x = m9 2 See el e's ise ead Oey: INS here Aa eMieos on Sala heel a hz = > hoe i? Is he fae tee del SF nA ee ie a aide re erg eel ee H cr Decrease Increase or Decrease in Yield from the Decade 1850-1859 Increase Legend MAP 3. to the Decade 1890-1899. 60 OHIO CORN IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION We will not discuss the factors which have contributed to bring about these changes, except to point out the fact that the decrease has been in the rich river valleys, while the other portions of the state have increased their yield. We wish to express our thanks and deep obligation to Director Thorne, of the Ohio Experiment Station, for the large amount of data and information which he placed at the disposal of the com- mittee. The committee is also under obligation to J. Warren. Smith, Ohio Section Director of the U.S. Weather Bureau, for data and many valuable suggestions. In conclusion we wish to recommend that a temporary division of the state be made as follows: NORTHEAST DIVISION Ashtabula, Trumbull, Mahoning, Columbiana, Stark, Portage, Geauga, Lake, Cuyahoga, Summit, Medina, Wayne, Ashland, and Lorain counties. SOUTH DIVISION Monroe, Noble, Morgan, Washington, Athens, Meigs, Gallia, Lawrence, Jackson, Vinton, Hocking, Adams, Brown, Clermont and Hamilton counties. WEST-CENTRAL DIVISION All counties not included in the Northeast and South divisions. The above is to be regarded as a tentative division, pending a more thorough investigation of the subject. A. G. McCatr, Chairman. REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON SILAGE METHODS AND VARIETIES A. S. NEALE, MACEDONIA SAMUEL BOGGS, KINGSTON CHAS. B. WING, MECHANICSBURG H. P. MILLER, WESTERVILLE "+L, P, BAILEY, TACOMA The economic value of the silo is now a settled question with many farmers. Each year, thousands of Ohio farmers are taking up the production of silage and spending hundreds of thousands of dollars in machinery for handling the same, and in places for its storage. It was formerly thought that only dairymen could profitably feed silage. This idea is fast passing away. Now we find cattle and sheep feeders, lamb growers and general farmers turning to the silo as the most economical method of making dollars out of their corn crop. And itis our opinion that there is a place on every farm in Ohio where live stock is kept throughout the year, and where corn is grown, for the silo. ry Fy ANNUAL REPORT 61 We know that this statement will be questioned; that there are men here who will say that they cannot afford to haul water from their fields with high priced labor and blow the same into ex- pensive structures. But we would ask them if they could not have used during the present drouth some sort of succulent food to a great advantage in supplementing their dry pastures. It is a fact that the capacity of the stock farms in Ohio is limited very largely by the amount of stock that can be kept during a dry season; that if provision were made for carrying the stock through the dry months of the summer, the amount of stock kept could be materially increased and the value of the same greatly enhanced by having some sort of succulent food to supplement the burned up pastures. The silo offers the most economical solution of this problem. Soiling is too expensive tobe practical in these modern days. Enough food can be placed in the silo in one day to carry the ordi- nary farmer through the dry months of the season, while with soiling the harvesting must be done each day. Hence, a few acres of corn placed in the silo in the fall will be all that will be needed to enable the ordinary farmer to get through the summer safely, carrying a larger amount of stock than ordinary and keeping the same in much better condition. There is nothing in the production and handling of the corn crop that offers so many unsolved problems as does the question of silage inits various phases. There is a wide difference of opinion among growers of ensilage and each man thinks he is right. Evidently, some one is wrong. ‘The fact is that every man who tries the silo is so well pleased with the experiment that he fails to study the problem properly and believes that he has found the right thing at the first trial, while some one else very probably has a better method that is worthy of his study. Of these problems, the variety of corn is one that should be solved more satisfactorily to the ensilage grower. One man favors a large, late maturing, Southern variety, while another man will say that he doesn’t want the big, coarse stuff in his silo, but prefers a smaller stalked, earlier maturing, better grain- producing variety of corn. Others prefer a medium sized variety that will produce a good amount of grain and mature fairly well in their locality. It is the opinion of this committee that here is a question our Experiment Station should take up and study thoroughly. What kind of corn will produce the largest amount of food of the highest value per acre to the grower of silage? 62 OHIO CORN IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION Of course, varieties must differ for different localities, but in a general way this question can be worked out so as to place thousands of dollars each year in the pockets of ensilage growers of Ohio. Another problem is the method of planting. Some growers plant their corn in drills not farther than three or four inches apart in a row, desiring to produce a large amount of forage with- out regard toits grain value. Others desire to plant their corn thin, in order to produce the largest amount of grain possible, claiming that they prefer quality to quantity. Can the farmer profitably grow filler without regard to its contents, or should he rather confine himself toa medium ground where he can produce a maximum amount of tons per acre witha high food value? While it may not be possible for experimenters to take up this subject in an exhaustive manner by carrying on feeding experiments with silage of the different.types indicated, it is the opinion of this committee that some investigation should be made to throw more light upon this subject of thick and thin planting for silage purposes. Along with the question of varieties of corn and methods of planting, comes the problem of breeding a special type of corn for ensilage purposes. We are of the opinion that each locality may develop a type of corn suitable to its needs by judicious breeding. It has been shown that the corn plant lends itself to variations of type very readily, and that it is not a difficult matter to produce and fix a type suitable to our needs. - The typical ensilage corn should have a stalk of medium to large size, it should be an erect grower, capable of standing heavy windstorms, with a large percentage of grain, an ear placed low, and should be of a variety that will mature under ordinary circumstances in the section in which it is grown. ‘The placement of the ear on ensilage corn is a matter of very great importance in facilitating harvesting. The majority of our ensilage varieties have an ear placed very high, thus making the bundle unwieldly witha tendency to breaking over and tangling of stalks. Witha low placed ear, the bundle is much more easily handled and the stalks remain more largely unbroken. The width of blade is considered by some to be of great importance in the variety of corn for ensilage purposes. However, the fact is that the precentage of blades to stalk and grain is so small that the size of blades is practically unimportant from the feeding standpoint, although it may have a very important influence Bs the growth and development of the plant. ANNUAL REPORT 63 While it probably is true, that the best results in corn pro- duction for grain purposes can be secured by growing seed corn in the locality in which the crop is to be grown, there are many that hold tothe idea that they can get better results, in the northern section of the state especially, with ensilage varieties, with seed grown further south. For example, a favorite on the Western Reserve is the Virginia White Ensilage, hundreds of bushels of which are shipped from that state for planting in this section. This seed is believed to have greater vitality than any other planted in northeastern Ohio. The breeding of this par- ticular variety for silage purposes might well be considered by Prof. Hartley in his work. The time of cutting is still an open question. While the maximum food value is reached at the shocking stage, the question of whether the crop can be allowed to mature to this point and still produce the best quality of silage is important. Can water be added as the dry corn is being run intothe silo, and thus pro- duce a silage equal in palatability and keeping quality to that of corn cut a little before maturity is complete? To what shall we feed ensilage? To dairy cattle, of course. To beef cattle? Some say, yes; others, no. Some sheep feeders want silage; others, do not. It is said by some to produce di- sease in sheep and horses, while others are of the opinion that this is merely a coincidence and that the diseases attributed to silage feeding are as prevalent among stock not fed on this food. Handling the ensilage crop is an expensive proposition. What improvements can we make? Objections are made by some to the corn harvester. Can these machines be perfected so as to overcome these objections, such as tangled corn, unwieldly bundles, etc., or would we better breed a variety of corn that will not present these difficulties to the machine? What are the best methods of loading, cutting and putting the feed into the silo? What type of silo is the most economical? We have many different styles. Of the new types, the most desirable are probably those built of blocks, either concrete or tile. The farmer contemplating building a silo should consider the type well before erecting the structure. These area few of the problems that have presented them- selves to this committee. There are doubtless many others of importance that should be considered. The committee would be glad to have any other questions brought to their notice for consideration and investigation the coming year, and inyite a general discussion on the silage problem at this meeting. _A.S, Neate, Chairman, 64 OHIO CORN IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON TOOLS AND METHODS H. C. RAMSOWER, O.S. U., COLUMBUS W. J. EDGERTON, BARNESVILLE H. C. GEORGE, O. A. E. S.,. WOOSTER HARRY TAYLOR, WASHINGTON C. H. J. W. LINEBAUGH, GROVE CITY PRELIMINARY PROGRESS REPORT OBJECT It is the object of this committee to give this association and the farmers of Ohio as complete a report as possible on the most useful and economic machinery equipment that is now used or should be used in Ohio in the production of our corn crop, together with a dis- cussion of the most practical, up-to-date and scientific methods that are practiced or should be practiced in connection with the same. In more detail, it is our object: 1 ‘To determine the present status of work done along this line. 2 ‘To determine problems worthy of further investigation. 3 To proceed with such investigations in the best manner possible. 4 ‘To announce our results to the farmers of the state as oppor- tunity permits. METHOD OF PROCEEDURE 1 Status of affairs: In the spring of 1908, at the instance of the Secretary of this Association, a list of questions regarding the tools and methods used in producing the corn crop was prepared by the Office of Farm Management, United States Department of Agri- culture, and the same was published as a joint circular of the Ohio Agricultural Experiment Station and the U.S. Department. ‘This circular has been sent out judiciously and many replies have been received at the Experiment Station. Krom the character of the reports already received it is thought that a fairly complete survey of the equipment used in the state can be had, together with some adaptation of the various existing tools. The questions were pre- pared with a view to obtaining equipment information rather than that relating to the use of the tools and the methods employed throughout. If the expectations are realized, the summary of these reports will indicate the amount and character of equipment best adapted; the cost of same per year and per acre of crop, and the con- ditions under which each implement becomes a profitable investment. The few questions relating to methods were inserted ratherasa means of securing an outline for further investigation as to methods. These were added largely for the benefit of the Ohio Corn Improve- ment Association, since the Official from the Office of Farm Manage- ment is confining his attention to the equipment phase of the work. Itis the intention to put forth the summary of information on tools in the shape of a joint publication of the Ohio ANNUAL REPORT 65 Agricultural Experiment Station and the United States Department of Agriculture, thus making it available to the farmers of this state. This investigation regarding tools and methods does not render further work by this association unnecessary. Additional and specific information regarding certain implements would be valuable, and the methods have scarcely been touched upon. Further cooperation of the members is needed tosecure the missing details. The Office of Farni Management has one _ official devoting his entire time toa study of farm equipment, and investigations covering the entire outfit on the farm have been arranged for in Ohio at an early date. The results of these studies, including further data on corn equipment, will be available for the benefit of the members of this association and the farmers of the state in general, and the cooperation of the members is earnestly requested in aiding the Experiment Station and the National Department in securing the necessary information. 2 What this report lacks: Evidently but little is required by this set of questions and hence buta slight amount of information will be collected on the subject of methods. 3 How this deficiency is to be made up, will constitute a large part of our work: The committee is composed of members scattered about over the state. Some of these members, in connec- tion with their duties at the Experiment Station, are traveling about over the state more or less during the whole year. ‘Their business will be to collect all the information possible by means of a set of questions which we hope to prepare in order to have the work pro- ceed with some system, which questions will cover not only the methods used in corn production, but they will also cover any deficiencies which we may discover in replies to the former circular mentioned. In connection with the individual work of the committee, we hope to have the cooperation of the United States Department Office of Farm Management in its work along this line. This office is _ devoting much attention to the subject of tillage. Its representative, who has this work in charge, has volunteered his assistance in furthering the work of this committee, to the extent of aiding in the outline of a set of questions on tillage methods and submitting a resume of available information on this subject compiled from vari- ous reference works. Further attempts to reveal the prevailing tillage methods in Ohio will be made a feature of the study of farm . Management in the state by all three agencies: the Experiment Station, the National Department, and this Association. H. C. Ramsower,: Chairman. 66 OHIO CORN IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON INSTITUTES AND EXPOSITIONS V. M. SHOESMITH, O. S. U., COLUMBUS HOWARD McCUNE, WILMINGTON WM. SPRENGER, WASHINGTON C. H. CHAS. McINTIRE, CHANDLERSVILLE D. M. WEAVER, LEIPSIC F. H. QWEN, MARION L. B. BAILEY, TACOMA We beg leave to report that at the State Corn Show held Novem- ber 23rd, 24th and 25th, 1908, under the auspices of the Ohio Corn Improvement Association, the total number of exhibits exclusive of class H (Sweepstakes) and class K (county exhibits) was 639. The following table shows the number of exhibits in each class: GlassvAy W0learsivetlow: Comme sate «atten eiciatel iis epeieteiciste cisreis) evel iafete 316 $6) 10lears! white corm oncs-\.6 sas caseae tence ce eee eens 59 ce Col hears amyiOLhber vaAbletyp == asnsite cca mesilate Os “* DD, best 10 ear sample grown with potash fertilizer. ........ 3 <7 = E. bestundividialiearsaccaee renter cer cute resect btsaaoee 97 Se” AR ehestioliearsanyvatlety.cerccraes cata cerenn aera eee ena, 4 Genbest earsiauy valley ccesciec eset ie corinne eeemeret- 26 Ieeyield per acre contests.co seensta chit enero ee anes 9 = J, farm management contest ...-.........ee cece eee ee ee ee 11 re Thigh schoolicontest wire cecaecite ence ee eeenseeeiots 3 IME elu exhibitiece oceice sco cco ee Conn seeee hee aS os ING grain dealers’ displayn s-saeticesecooacle cin oe yeeieerecetes 5 The number of counties represented was 57, the number of entries in each county being as follows: Fayette 54 Preble 13 Gallia o Licking 41 Washington 12 Logan 3 Ross 35 Hardin 11 Wood 3 Darke 34 Harrison 10 Allen 2 Franklin 33 Stark 10 Clark 2 Champaign 26 Madison 9 Jefferson 2 Delaware 24 Belmont 7 Muskingum 2 Fairfield 23 Butler 7 Lake 2 Mercer 19 Henry 7 Perry 2 Montgomery 18 Medina if Trumbull 2 Hancock 17 Seneca 7 Williams 2 Marion 17 Summit 7 Cuyahoga il Pickaway 17 Athens 6 Lorain 1 Van Wert 17 Tuscarawas 5 Lucas 1 Clinton 16 Erie 4 Miami 1 Coshocton 15 Meigs 4 Pike 1 Morrow 15 Adams 3 Portage 1 Union 15 Ashland 3 Wayne 1 Greene 13 Columbiana 3 ANNUAL REPORT 67 ‘There were several other exhibits with insufficient data so that they could not be classified, and several shipments were received too late for entry. This classification of the entries will doubtless be of some advantage in arranging the premium list next year. While the committee feels that on the whole the show was a successful one, considering the fact that it is the first that Ohio has held, there are doubtless several features which may be improved another year. Certainly no effort should be spared to make the show as educational as possible. FINANCIAL STATEMENT Statement of Finances by Committee on Corn Institutes and Expositions: Receipts Cashicomtribution fromiGrainiDealers:. ja cscaqe cise oe inch sm ecaye ps Mose aces $500.00 Advertising (Premium list) .-........ Drees eS ARM Aen R a ASRS an cd Loe ace, SR Bn 135.00 LAWN) SDs God pO Habe Goo s Boob OOOnA ee OA CCLICACDIS dhe Ge GHICRGACE a ema rere HEE ooEG 5.00 Jeo dane: TICKEtS a ty O COUtS cen c sees cise aoe pole wand sat isic chai e oa aS eae 171.00 "Potal->-<.. Pietsto\arota loge, ofm/ai atesial® ix =ai0,e10l allan syelutol(ejatarosialana\/aiai etehevate(ar shetareietavejelate kaktiajeWate ste na Stell neyere Santen cters $967.23 LExpenditures PP AideinucaSMenreniitrm sia satis Selena eae vsisie aloes coe wee ch ae are Ue Pea ee $450.00 \WivenwelavitoLon anda) oh iioto se Oo daca gaotenbo nt DOOD DORE OOS D OAR ESS Ap aaas Bete Sete aooe ured 35.00 Printing 10,000 copies premium list, with watch fob inserts.......--........-.-.-- 135.00 Printing entry tags, premium cards and dinner tickets................00+0 sees 91.75 Badests: tiesson otek Sa Ra Son Soe heer gt one nes Ear ae Lae Mlk eens OU 19.00 POE GE Ant levee mae eee ech ratr oe tine ila ae lartee Beier pies aha «nak OCS ee 2.50 JENS) tae) AaB OOO SS Aa e GOO ote COREE COTE rere oC Carr aCe ne Mr eneaeeeooscr ste et 42.30 Postage Owerm)rceece keto cistiote. seieteiele Sinvassrot bcc pro crapio seen Mori eiee eee Soe ee ae 3.80 PETTY HA PUTA DY, cto hst are coheetastete rs rebel fovetel bee liasa Sens apo ey Nahe ovacatn NWVetelal mittinee) ets tal teearsieww eae as eo Rea eis 8.50 [DSS oR DSS CABO Rid gOS DIC OGAB Ste TOME COB EEInO SEaoIe OO COS See ie ian oa one oe a aa 4,35 INGE Te io ricligy asap hats oc eerste, os raretaiei ate vele ales sioveio ie ctie io Weis alos dana esPovesele mitietre cn Reazvecthoce sia «sta igtomion 10.90 (CENTS EAE GAS MOST an 1 OC RODS ICE RAT OO CSU MOC EDU IS Bera bmn Gna Ren eee aad 115.00 Il Ag ey OIE} Oph Tey Payee Unchas OOM ATES CATS CEERI ee Co CE CDI eee Le me eee 3.89 LETTE ETS) das ce of So Bane OOOO CCOUCIIOS UEP ECE nis an TE TIS es oc Irate Eee par aie gee ee 1.50 UGGS Tes abies & Gocoen Kero d ot ORE OC OR IGO OS: Irie Corea ETRE PEL GRO ESEn EL aetna 12.00 EIST CS MAGI ceistelelesete mts steleceisietanerhiciatslovay cristae scat ay cdte iateravelete le mee Caisteld alan aialveasct toler 15:00) 2 BR Ota yaar mye lca lc ose tc Sw “ie.iea ARCS aomeae st Bat tte we) So eee dyes: $880.49 PET GALT COMMIS Ceptit fe, ayer tees cae ST SEs os hee wie CN he are oreo EES OE We ee ee $967.23 “MN AIT los defer G hha sinecingos beeen te Oe EE aaa GOCE CIDP EER SORA CERO entree Ener niin oe ae 880.49 TEV ESTO =y SSO abcd) Fone COI ROR ED TOTO ERIE ea ort See et ie ay Me De i nn $ 86.74 Following is a list of awards in the several classes: 68 CLASS A. Prize Entry won No. Ist 40 2nd 393 3rd 239 4th 283 Sth 91 6th 281 7th 279 8th 98 9th 37 10th 521 llth 394 12th 112 13th 97 Mth 3 CLASS B. Ist 100 2nd 59 3rd (631 4th 256 byrne =)! 6th 54 7th 552 8th 197 9th 83 10th 243 llth 482 12th 257 13th 214 14th 56 15th 454 16th 76 17th 480 18th 12 19th 635 20th 152 OHIO CORN IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION AWARDS (Yellow Corn.) Name and Address G.O. Vanorsdall, Jeffersonville Mell Parrott, Mt. Gilead J.E. Briggs, Martinsville Tasso Terrell, New Vienna Roy B. Fultz, Jeffersonville George Brackney, Wilmington James F. Bennet, Wilmington C O. Ervin, Jeffersonville Albert -Vanorsdall, Jeffersonville K. E. Michel, Paulding Mell Parrott, Mt. Gilead O. O. Zehring, Germantown J. H. Fultz, Jeffersonville Chas. S. Neer, Woodstock J. L. Keckley, Marysville ‘B. F. Hawley, Woodstock A. H. Powell, Newark S. P. Leist, Amanda C. N. Price, Radnor A. Philpot, Paulding A.J. Wilson, Wilmington Chas. H. Graves, Paulding L. J. Nold, Leetonia D. E. Phillips, Circleville I H. Carmen, Selden Earl House, Greenville J. H. Bishop, Hamler Glenn Hinton, Woodstock Elmer E. Thomas, Newark Ed Delaet, Paulding (White Corn. ) W.E. Jeffers, Guysville Paris J- Custer, Jeffersonville Jos. I. Vause, Chillicothe J. L. Keckley, Marysville Chas. S. Neer, Woodstock I. H. Carmen, Selden James Strother, Venedocia J. Arthur Coon, Ashville Byron Staley, Woodstock C.S. Hunter, Seven Mile J.H. Higby, Higby J. L. Keckley, Marysville Geo, W. Warner, Jr., Harshman Paul R. Carmen, Selden Samuel Taylor, Grove City B. F. Hawley, Woodstock Jas. C. Foster, Higby Glenn Hinton, Woodstock George Kuntz, Chillicothe A.H. Powell, Newark CLASSC. (Any other variety.) 10th 92 llth 38 12th 464 13th 194 14th 193 15th 294 CLASS D Ist 647 G. O. Vanorsdall, Jeffersonville J. L. Keckley, Marysville Jake Flax, Jeffersonville A.H. Powell, Newark J.L. Keckley, Marysville J. O. Ferneau, South Salem Lee LeVan, Osborn G. L. Flemming, Amesville Isaac Swartzel, Germantown Roy B. Fultz, Jeffersonville Albert Vanorsdall, Jeffersonville C.N. Price, Radnor A. E. Putnam, Lyndon W.S. Wright, Lyndon Mrs. Anna E. Collier, London A. He Powell, Newark CLASS E. (Individual Ear.) Prize Entry . SCAND: Name and Address Ist 244 C.S. Hunter, Seven Mile 2nd 260 J. L. Keckley, Marysville 3rd 93 Roy B. Fultz, Jeffersonville 4th 57 A.S. Booco, Jeffersonville 5th 272 T. Hollon Orcutt, London 6th 266 C.N. Price, Radnor CLASS F. (30 Ears.) Ist 262 J.L. Keckley, Marysville 2nd 79 B.F. Hawley, Woodstock 3rd 343 ~Chas. Selby, Ansonia 4th 380 John Lamb, Carroll 5th 397 Mell Parrott, Mt. Gilead 6th 592 Tasso Terrell, New Vienna 7th 124 OO, Zehring, Germantown 8th 629 Lloyd Reiterman, Chillicothe 9th 219 Roscoe I. Straley, Jeffersonville 10th 273 T. Hollon Orcutt, London llth 58 A.S. Booco, Jeffersonville 12th 280 James F, Bennett, Wilmington 13th 344 Frank Baker, Greenville 14th 36 Frank P Miller, Lancaster 15th 470 C.N. Price, Radnor CEASS'Gs— (0: hars:) Ist 42 G.O. Vanorsdall, Jeffersonville 2nd 61 Paris J. Custer, Jeffersonville 3rd 189 F. W. Cline, Bloomingburg 4th 278 Howard and T. T. McCune, Wilmington 5th 86 Byron Staley, Woodstock 6th 398 Mell Parrott, Mt. Gilead 7th 95 Roy B. Fultz, Jeffersonville 8th 125 O. O. Zehring, Germantown 9th 274 T. Hollon Orcutt, London 10th 220 Roscoe I. Straley, Jeffersonville llth 471 C.N. Price, Radnor 12th 408 G W. Scott, Lancaster 13th 641 Russell Woodyard, Delaware 14th 661 Harry D. Taylor, Washington C. H. 15th 418 Will E. Miller, Thurston CLASS K Licking County CLASS L Ist €56 New Holland High School CLASS M Ist 348 R.K. Beam & Sons, Greenville CLASS N—Club Exhibits Ist 120 Sharritt, Swartzel, O. O. Zehring, E. L. Zehring, and Felton, Germantown 2nd 157 A. H. Powell, Howard Powell, ae Powell, Thos. Powell and ts. A. H. Powell, Newark 3rd 472 ri N. Price, exhibitor for club, Radnor 4th 172 Coyner, Watt, Stinson, George ‘Tudor, Floyd Tudor, Lyndon SWEEPSTAKES 40 G.O. Vanorsdall, Jeffersonville V. M. SHorsmiru, Chairman. ANNUAL REPORT 69 REPORT OF SECRETARY When the Ohio Plant Breeders’ Association was organized in 1906 it was hoped by those interested that it might be able to give much attention to the more homely questions regarding plant growth as well as to those re- garding breeding. It soon became manifest, however, that all the time available would be required to solve the problems arising in connection with an entirely new line of work, and that the Plant Breeders’ Association must be a record association and nothing more. Recognizing this fact and also that Ohio needed badly an association which would give its entire time to the consideration of all questions connected with the corn crop such as rotation, uses of manure and fertilizer, preparation of seed bed, care of seed, cultivation, harvesting, utilization, etc., as well as to corn breeding, the Plant Breeders’ Association in June 1907 appointed a committee with instructions to undertake to bring about such an organization. This committee issued a call for an organization meeting to be held at Columbus January 15, 1908. To this call 161 delegates representing 54 counties responded and duly organized the Ohio Corn Improvement Association. The Constitution and By-laws as adopted contemplated that membership of the State Association should be limited to Local Associations, that the only way to become connected with the work should be to join a Local Association and that voting in the State Association should be limited to delegates elected by the Local Associations—one delegate or vote for each ten members in the Local represented. By the time of the first annual meeting held November 1908 there had been organized 47 of these Local Associations with a membership of 2007. At the end of the year there were 57 associations with a total membership of 2324. From this it will be manifest that the people of the state have already decided that through this organization much good can be done and accordingly are uniting their efforts to see what can be done. Furthermore the work of the association is not restricted to increasing its membership. A statement of the work that has already been taken up by these Local Associations together with that for which plans are now being made would make still more clear the fact that they are determined to try to live up to the motto—‘“‘Better corn and more of it.’? There is scarcely an association in the state that has not taken up some special line of work which can not fail to benefit to a greater or less extent the corn crop of its county and section. The work of the State Association is left largely in the hands of the Executive Committee which consists of the officers elected at the annual meeting. With but slight exception, however, every action of the Executive Committee must be submitted promptly to the Secretaries of Local Associations for nullification, before it becomes effective. This committee is authorized to appoint sub-committees to take up any phase of work that seems worthy of consideration. These sub-committees have already done much good work and are now preparing for work in 1909 that will without question beof great value to the state. A list of these committees is given on page 73. Communications regarding any line of work may be addressed directly to any member of the proper committee or to the Secretary of the State Association to be turned over tosame. Itis hoped that each Local Association will do all in its power to assist these committees in their work, and that no member of.any association 70 OHIO CORN IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION will fail to realize that he must do all he can to raise the standard of corn growing in his community if Ohiois to improve the quality of her corn and at the same time maintain her position as the highest yielding state in the corn belt. A statement of the membership in the local associations for the year 1908, a copy of the constitution and by-laws and a list of sub-committees for 1909, so far as appointed, are included in this report. L. H. GoppARD, State Secretary. OHIO CORN IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION STATEMENT OF MEMBERSHIP FOR THE YEAR 1908 Members Total paid Over- Association Secretary Address Apr. July Nov. Jan. to date paid Ashland W.G. Miller Jeromeville 25 Athens W.R. Goddard Amesville 28 Auglaize T. E. Bowsher Wapakoneta 49 49 49 *49 5.00 RY, Belmont W.J. Edgerton Barnesville 27 dba) OS 43 2 70 Oe Butler Cc. L. Young Collinsville 21 23 Saf Clinton (Wayne, Wil- Jno. P.Langdon Sabina 23 son & Richland Tps) Clinton J. E. Orebaugh Wilmington 36 BOM eon 57 3.76 Columbiana Cc. S. French Salem 39 Coshocton Ed. LeRetilley Coshocton 38 38: = 38.7, 2.00 -10 Crawford Homer B. Crall Bucyrus 20 25 -50 = 192 Darke Frank Plessinger Versailles 34 BY Seen yi Sil 3 30 .60 Delaware (Olentangy) H. M. Cowgill Delaware 30 30-30 1.50 Delaware (Sunbury) Chas. Fredericks Sunbury 25 28° van 34 2.37 Fayette Wm. Sprenger Washington C. H. 27 28 28 1.40 Franklin (Farmers) D. G. Boyer Carroll 57 Franklin(Pleasant & J. W. Linebaugh Grove City 25 Yds ese la) 39 2.50 .28 Jackson Tps) Gallia W. C. Mills Gallipolis 24 34 3.40 2.55 Greene O. A. Dobbins Cedarville 62 62 62 3.10 Guernsey F. C. McMunn’ Lore City 13 1 els -65 Hamilton (Anderson C. Bart Chapman Madisonville 20 20 20 20 1.50 Township) Hancock A. E. Kerns Findlay 21 21 136 136 7.32 Hardin F. B. Rarey Kenton 212 213 261 261 18.38 Holmes Jno. F. Myers Millersburg — 39 Jefferson P. B. Floyd Steubenville 13 14_ 14 14 1.05 Knox Jno. Cunningham Gambier 9 Lake A. M. Thompson Perry 15 Licking Chas Bone Utica Pa eae taht 2, 52 3.58 Logan E. F. Miller Bellefontaine 53 ins eo *53 3.99 Lorain Carlisle;Tp} W.H. Hart Oberlin 11 lie 56 Madison E. D. Orebaugh London 12 WD iale .60 Marion F. H. Owen Marion 65! 163) S63 63 4.73 Medina Will Shank Wadsworth 10 Meigs F. W. Nelson Dexter 25 BoE 40 60 3.5L -02 Mercer G. S. Nuding Mendon 75 85 5.00 2.88 Montgomery O. L. Shank Germantown 20 20 50 Morrow Horatio Markley Mt. Gilead 10 12 18 18 1.20 Muskingum Victor Herron Chandlersville 22 22 2.20 1.65 Noble (Jackson Tp) J. A. Wagner Dexter City 14 16 «16 17 1.30 08 Paulding (Payne) W.E. Smiley Payne 57 Ove Or 57 4.29 Paulding Elmer Jameson Haviland 36 36041 45 4.20 1.16 Pickaway C. H. Niles Circleville 105 «105 104 104 7.83 Preble Clem McKee Eldorado 13 Putnam W. H. Tobias Gilboa 81 80 80 80 6.00 Richland J. E. Lawrence Lexington 42 42 42 42 3-15 Ross H. S. Boggs Kingston 59 59 1.45 Ea (17) Sandusky E. W. Roush Lindsey 14 Seneca R. H. Crum Tiffin 45 aI Lee S53 54 5.30 1:35, Stark C. N. Dewalt Osnaburg BOP pbd pote ok 2.53 Summit W. E. Bradley Kent 36 sah ary 52 3.48 Trumbull S. N. Kerr Hubbard 38 53 1.33 Tuscarawas H. S. Bartles New Philadelphia 21 23.= 29 29 2.04 Union (York Tp) J. S. McGinnis Richwood 15 25 50 ae Van Wert H. W. Walters Van Wert 27 de 32 40 2.60 Warren H. M. Dill Lebanon 26 Washington S. W. Harvey Fleming 11 ik Ut 11 1.10 .28 Wayne D. W. Galehouse Marshallville 12 12) 212 37 1.48 —.04 Wood Chas. LeGalley Bowling Green 32 32 3.20 2.40 Totals 1429 1487 1923 2107 $138.65 $14.34 Number members in good standing because of having been reported the previous quarter 84 217 ‘Total members in good standing 1429 1487 2007 2324 *No report recieved for this quarter but dues paid in advance. ANNUAL REPORT 71 It will be noted that no dues are paid by Local Associations to the State Association until the end of the quarter next succeeding that in which the association was organized. Thereafter dues are 21-2 cents per member per quarter. All of the above amounts collected from the Local Associations ($138.65) has been turned over to the State Treasurer in whose hands it now remains, no accounts having as yet been approved for payment, by the Executive Committee. I hereby declare the above statement to be correct to the best of my knowledge and belief. Signed, L. H. GopparD, State Secretary. OHIO CORN IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION Constitution and By-laws Adopted January 15, 1908. Revised November 24, 1908. Article 1—Name The name of this organization shall be the Ohio Corn Improvement Association. Article 2—-Purpose The purpose of this Association shall be to discover, develop and introduce better methods and practices for the improvement, production and_ utilization of the corn plant in Ohio. Article 3—Members Any person over fifteen years of age interested in the purposes of this Association may become a member by the payment of the prescribed annual fee. Article 4— Voting The right to vote shall be limited to accredited delegates present from local Associations. The delegation from any local Association shall then be entitled to as many votes as that local Association has multiples of ten members for which it has paid dues to the state Association. Delegates present from five counties shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. Article 5—Organization The officers of this Association shall consist of a President, a Vice- President, a Secretary, a Treasurer and three District Vice-Presidents to be elected from the district which they represent. All officers shall be elected annually and shall constitute the executive Committee of the Association. Article 6—Meetings The date, place and arrangement for thc annual meeting and for any called meetings shall be determined by the Executive Committee without being submitted to the local Associations. Special meetings must be called upon written request of local Associations representing five counties. Article 7—Elections The election of officers for the ensuing year shall be held at next to the last session of the annual meeting. ~I ii) OHIO CORN IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION Article 8—Amendments Amendments to this constitution may be made by a two-thirds vote at any annual meeting. By-Laws Section 1—Dues The annual dues of all members shall be not less than twenty-five cents per year, payable in advance to the local Association. | Local Associations shall pay to the state Association ten cents annually for each member on _ their rolls, settlement to be made at the end of each quarter. Local Associations in arrears for dues for more than one quarter shall be dropped from the rolls, but may be restored to membership by the Executive Committee by payment of all arrears. Section 2—Officers It shall be the duty of the President to preside at all meetings of the Association and Executive Committee, and to countersign at his discretion all orders on the Treasurer. The Vice-President shall preside in the absence of the President. The Secretary shall keep the records of the Association and Executive Committee. He shall receive all money due the Association, shall turn the same over to the Treasurer within thirty days, and shall issue orders upon the Treasurer for the payment of expenses, when so instructed by the Executive Committee or the Association. He shall receive such remuneration as may be determined upon by the Executive Committee. The Treasurer shall hold all moneys of the Association and pay out same upon orders from the Secretary, when properly countersigned by the President. Before entering upon his duties he shall execute a bond to the Association in such sum as may be determined upon by the Executive Committee con- ditioned upon the faithful performance of said duties. He shall receive such remuneration as may be determined upon by the Executive Committee. The several officers shall serve until their successors are elected and installed, and shall then turn over to them all books, papers, money or other matter connected with their offices. They shall make an annual report and shall perform such other duties as are ordinarily required of such officers. The Executive Committee shall execute the instructions of the Association, shall have authority to take up any phase of work that it deems for the best interests of the Association and may call to its assistance such sub-committees as it wishes. It shall have authority to fill all vacancies. Every action of the Executive Committee which is not submitted to the Association within three days, and except as noted in Article 6, must be sub- mitted by mail to the Secretary of each local .Association, which is in good standing with the state Association, within thirty days, and such action may be nullified by a majority negative vote of these Secretaries within ten days after such notice is mailed to them. Section 3—Amendments Amendments to these By-laws may be made by a majority vote at any annual meeting. ANNUAL REPORT 7 ie?) OHIO CORN IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION SUB-COMMITTEES FOR 1909 Constitution and By-Laws S. N. Kerr, Hubbard. J. S. McGinnis, Richwood. D. M. Weaver, Leipsic. C. Bart Chapman, Madisonville. J. Ernest Hutchins, Macksburg. F. C. McMunn, Lore City. F. B. Headley. Pataskala. Improving Corn Varieties I. S. Cook, Jr., Chillicothe. Jas. W. Cook, Forest. Philip Baer, Jr., Canal Dover. P. D. Leaming, Wilmington. Clem McKee, Eldorado. F. C, Snyder, Fremont. Frank Oliver, Versailles. Local Associations W. A. Martin, Kenton. W. E. Bradley, Kent. G. Roy Crumrine, Nova. Wm. Sprenger, Washington C. H. W.R. Goddard, Amesville. P. B. Floyd, Steubenville. H. M. Cowgill, Delaware. Rotations and Fertilizers Alfred Vivian, O. S. U., Columbus. N. C. Frost, West Mentor. C. O. Snyder, Millersburg. J.S. Brigham, Bowling Green. Isaac Sollars, Washington C. H. Jno. I. Wentz, Bucyrus. Chas. Bone, Utica. Silage Varieties and Methods A.S. Neale, Macedonia. Dillwyn Stratton, Winona. Saml. Boggs, Cicrleville. Jesse Bailey, Tacoma. Jno. B. Peelle, Sabina. C. W. Lease, Dola. T. P. White, Hooker. Utilization G. E. Jobe, Cedarville. Reid Carpenter, Mansfield. E. C. Darling, Nellie. Jno. P. Langdon, Sabina. F. I. Heim, Wooster. Frank Balyeat, Van Wert. Dillwyn Stratton, Winona. Credentials T. Hollon Orcutt, London. Institutes and Expositions V.M. Shoesmith, O. S. U., Columbus. F. H. Owen, Marion. L. P. Bailey, Tacoma. Howard McCune, Wilmington. Marketing H. W. Robinson, Greenspring. E. A. Peters, Groveport. O. O. Zehring, Germantown. W. J. Mathews, McGuffey. W. A. Starbuck, Wilmington. O. H. Fawcett, Bellefontaine. Elmer Jameson, Haviland. Score Card and Corn Judging C. G. Williams, O. A. E. S., Wooster. Dan Egbert, Tiffin. J. W. McCord, Columbus. I. S. Cook, Jr., Chillicothe. V.M. Shoesmith, O. S. U., Columbus. C. M. Myers, Lockbourne. W.M. Hardman, Yellow Springs. State Divisions A.G. McCall, O. S. U., Columbus. E. J. Riggs, Raccoon Island. G. C. Housekeeper, Bowling Green. A.G. Abbott, Sharon Center. Jno. S. Myers, Millersburg. L. P. Clawson, Hamilton. Horace Ankeny, Xenia. Educational Trains H.C. Price, O. S. U., Columbus. H. W. Robinson, Greenspring. John Cunningham, Gambier. W. K. Orr, Chillicothe. Austin Herrick, Twinsburg. Legislation R. W. Dunlap, State House, Columbus. W. A. Martin, Kenton. C. A. Pontius, Canton. S. J. Vining, Celina. W. G. Castor, Point Rock. Horatio Markley, Mt. Gilead. H. M. Snook, Lebanon. Public School Work A. B. Graham. O. S. U., Columbus. H. D. Bowsher, Wapakoneta. S. W. Harvey, Fleming. C. H. Allen, Paulding. Victor Herron, Chandlersville. L. S. Ivins, Lebonan. C. S. French, Salem. Selecting and Introducing Varieties H. C. George, O. A. E. S., Wooster. D. B. Cross, Racine. a L. Graham, Payne. . M. Dill, Lebanon. S. Nuding, Mendon. . C. Murphy, Sunbury. . H. Hart, Oberlin. Tools and Methods H. C. Ramsower, O. S. U., Columbus. H. C. George, O. A. E. S., Wooster. L. W. Ellis, U.S. D. A., Washington D. C. J. W. Linebaugh, Grove City. W. J. Edgerton, Barnesville. Frank B. Rarey, Kenton. O. L. Shank, Germantown. essay 43 INDEX Alssociations—lsist of Locals-organized tn 19082. vacsws, «cco shocsssosecnsen supmees-seeeeeene 70 Bayard, .5£.:S?i—Donation.of Trophy Cup. via case -gctanns te eraaenencwceusnsaters es neeee 43 Breeders, of Corn—Needliofi inievery Coumbyaccrers caccvccas cst oate secede cbereaseadert eee eneee 32 Business; Mecting— Record Offs cess ccscaseceweces eteieserce cadens deer ennesacsdene nce wel sae pacceae eee 3 Carpenter, Reid—Committee: Reports: 2iicc. naccaaeth 1H-1G,—Comimittee SRepott. ccs ocweceecsseererecrercmeeehcte esteem acne deen eas tect pete 33 Prizes Winners at State SHOW