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The Exeter Times-Advocate, 1939-02-23, Page 731 THE STORY OF HYBRID CORN This is an interesting story and it is told in so many different ways that I know, one' more why will be accepted with at least passing in­ terest when I assure you it comes from the pen of a dirt farmer who happens to be among the first to reap the benefit of a bumper crop. It was grown from Genuine Pfistes Hybrid Corn. Farmers ought to know, hence the writer will proceed step by step in an honest effort to place credit where it belongs — nOme deserving poor souls will be omitted because they are unknown to me — Latest on the honour roll is a Catholic priest in Oklahoma who comes out with a sixty day corn which it is thought will revolutionize the corn growing industry in the South. Mendel Started It Its basis is the work of Gregor Mendel (a monk) who discovered in the li860’s/ the rules which govern the inheritance of character and the way in which those characters can be separated out by inbreeding. “But his work was buried and ignored for more than forty years. Early in the century, scientists bei gan to use corn to test Mendel’s theories, at first, not because they were interested in corn production hut because corn was a handy plant to work with. The names of Shull, East and Jones who worked under the patronage of American philanthropists made some useful discoveries. They found that breeding a plant to itself, selfing by fertilizing the silks of a plant by pollen from the same plant develop­ ed strains that looked poor but did remarkable things when crossed with another inbred strain. Work along- these same lines was done by Collins Montgomery, Hays Holbert, Funk and later by scores of professors with the object of producing inbreds with established character and of differ­ ent strains which when crossed would click and produce abundant yield. Selfin is continued only with those plants that show the most desirable characteristics. The others are dis­ carded. Of course the corn plants de­ crease rapidly in size as inbreeding continues. But the resultant plants also become more uniform. After five to seven years of selfing the characters that remain are definite­ ly fixed. These finished inbreds which there­ after can be 'grown from year to year are the standardized part which the hybrid corn breeder is prepared to put together. If you visit the Ag­ ronomy Farm at Ames you will find inbreds growing that look and yield the same way they did ten years ago. Once the inbreds have been handled that way for several years they no longer vary. An open-polinated kernel may hold in itself dozens of traits: its descend­ ants may be high eared or low eared smut resistant or smut susceptable. But an inbred kernel will have des­ cendants like itself. We now come to that more famil­ iar name H. A. Wallace, Secretary of Agriculture and Americas first pri­ vate breeder. Back in 1919 there appeared in the Christmas number of Wallaces’ Farmer and Iowa Home­ stead a picture of ten International prize winning ears of corn. Beside these were a few runty-looking ears of inbreds. Wallace proceeded to challenge the champion in a yielding competition. It was thought to be a joke but Wallace knew what his runts would do when crossed, It is worthy of note to say that here, another private breeder makes his debut. It is in the person of the world-famous Lester Pfister, “Burbanks of the Corn field.” “The man who put the kink in corn hair­ pins.” D. F. COUGHLIN Crediton, Ontario It follows: The following, article was taken from McLean’s Magazine, Better Corn How an Illinois farmey endured years of ridicule in order to develop finally a species of corn that made him rich and put an extra ten mil­ lion dollars in farmers’ pockets, is told by George Kent in The Country Home Magazines In 1935, while his neighbors were averaging $2,000 for a season’s work Pfister took in $35,000 —payment for corn seed that he had developed. The following year he sold for $10 a bushel every kernel he could raise, and took in $150,0 0’0. Here was a corn that would outyield anything ever grown in Woodford Qounty by anywhere from six to ’ thirty-five bushels! Pfister’s quest for hybrid corn be­ gan in 1925 after’a chance meeting in Des Moines with Henry Wallace, then an Iowa farm editor, now Se­ cretary of Agriculutre, Into the black earth Pfister tuck­ ed the seeds from 388 ears of top­ notch Krug corn. On each tassel that sprang from the stalks he tied a paper bag. 'On the ear-shoots he tied another. When he figured the tassel bag was full of pollen, he slip­ ped it off. This he inverted quickly over the silk of the ear on the same stalk. Then he snapped off the tas­ sel. This was inbreeding. During his experiments he ' used 100,000 bags, made 50,000 hand pollinations. At harvest time he discovered the many strains that had been blended to make Krug corn. Here were stalks thick as a baseball bat that wouldn’t stand erect; here, tassels without pollen, cobs without kernels A few bore runty |ears, but were rooted deeply and stood straight and strong. Ruthlessly he discarded the weaklings, saving only 115 ears that showed promise. The following spring he planted them. For five back-straining years he •planted, bagged and eliminated in addition to operating a farm for his living. In 1929 he was down to four ears. These were the twisted, misbegotten children of five inbred generations, but they were tough, had root systems that bored deep and made the mqs't of the minerals in the earth; they stood erect in high winds and went through the sum­ mer unmarred by disease. He shelled these four ears, and was ready to make' his first crosses. The corn was planted in three rows. He designated the middle row the sire or pollinator, and this time he snapped off the tassels on the female stalks as fast as they ap­ peared. The male tassels were free to shed their pollen in the silks of the rows on either side. No rain fell and the sun was desperately hot. stalk after stalk wilted. But Pifister, advised to irri­ gate, said simply: “If they can’t take it, let them die?’ That winter he looked at the ears of his first crosses, No lOngei* the un­ dersized, gnarled offsprings of cou­ sins and sister and brother matings, these ears were wonderfully filled down to the tips with evenly kernel- led, heavy corn. From experiment stations he obtained federal inbreds to cross with his own. He was still dissatisfied. During 1931 and 1932 Pfister let liis corn ride out grasshoppers and chinch bugs as he had let it ride out drought. “Let the weaklings die,” he Said, At harvest he shucked 225 bushels of the finest corn ever seen In Wood­ ford County. Passing farmers jump­ ed off their wagons to take a look. To some, Pfister gave a bushel or two. THE EXETER T1MES-ADVOCATE THIRSPAX, FEBBV.-UHI JS, legs DAVID 8. WHALEY CALLED BY DEATH 'One of the best-known residents of the St. Marys district, David Scott Whaley died at his home, third con­ cession St. Marys Tqwnship, Sunday morning. He was in his 74th year and had beexi ill since December. He was a native of North Easthope Twp. but had resided in St, Marys and the vicinity since 1910. Up until the time; of his illness he remained active in I the insurance and real estate busi­ ness. For a time he resided in Gran­ ton and as a young man resided for a short period in Anderson, Blan-' shard Twp. He was very active in! Presentation to Mr. and Mrs. Pybus of Chiselhurst On Friday evening February 17th delightful supper was held in the basement of the church with a very large turnout, Owing to the condi­ tions of the roads we were more than pleased to see such a splendid crowd. The proceeds of the event amounted to $46.00. After the sup­ per a program was held upstairs, very w < which opened with community sing- the work of the United ’Church. Son W ky Rev. A. Brook. Mr. of the late David and Elizabethj Benson Stoneman then favored the Whaley, who in their latter years, c*’°wd with a splendid piano solo were also residents of St. -Marys, he which was much enjoyed by all. Next is survived by one son, Leonard T. on the program was the chairman’s Whaley of St. Marys, and two dau- address followed by a solo accompan- ghters (Mabel) Mrs. Wesley Burns J^^^cy^Wright._He and (Beth) Mrs. Ralph Batten, Winchelsea, Interment was made St.«Marys cemetery. a i i JAw bray HATCHERY, EXETER, Phone 24(> or Ben Case, R, R. No. 3, Exeter _' ied by guitar by Percy Wright. He *O£ {also sang an encore. Next on the pro­ in gram was a presentation to Mr. and {Mrs. William Pybus. A beautiful floor lamp and chesterfield chair were presented by Mr. Grant Ryck- ! man, Mr. Earl Kinsman and Mr. G. ,' T, Wren. A life-membership certifi- of cate was presented to Mrs, Pybus by the W. M. S. and presented by Mrs. A. Cudmore and ( the life-member- HAY COUNCIL The council of the Township Hay met for the February meeting at the Town Hall, Zurich on Moiiday, | _____ ___ __ _________Februai’y 6th with all members pres- j sbjp froxn the choir was presented rr.u t n w Kinsanan, The address {was read by Mr. Jos. Ferguson and was as follows: I 'Chiselhurst, Ont., Feb. 17 (Dear Mr, and Mrs. Pybus,— | We, the members and adherents ent. The minutes of the January 9 meeting were adopted as read. < Numerous communications were ' disposed of. The following resolu-1 tions were passed: ! That By-law No. 1 appointing the j officials for the Township for 1939, >of the^ChiselhursrUnired"church”de- by-law No. 2 appointing Poundkeep- eire to use this occasion, when we ers, stock valuators and fence view- ar ajj together of performing a duty ers, and by-law No. 3 fixing the ^e-.’vvhich we feel ismurs at this time, ?| For many years you have been as-muneration for township officials be I — • _ - read three times and finally passed. I That the switchboard in Zurich botb taken responsible positions in Central be repaired by the Strom- j^s varj0US activities and the success berg^Carlson Telephone Company at of the church has been due in large a cost of $600. ■ * I measures to your devotion and loyal- That a charge of $2.00 be made aj. ajj times. We appreciate the for re-connecting^a service which has fact that your ability to take hold ............a _x ......... work has been an asset to you and a joy to us as a congregation. Moreover, we want to speak of your value to our community. Your — - -1 0116 caretaker of the Town Hall at a sal-1 among ,us. jn public matters we feel of $35 per year. I that you could be relied upon to That accounts covering payments take that stand which befitted you of Township Roads, Hay Telephone j System, Charity and Relief and gen-| eral accounts be passed as per vou­ chers: Township roads — J. M. Ziler rd. 10 $1.50; M. G. Deitz, repairs, pow­ er grader $8.85. Hay Municipal Telephone System —Northern Electric Co., material, $169.07; J tolls November to December $93.69; H. G, Hess, one month salary $165; Postage, annual meeting $6.45; Stade & Weido chair, central office $11.50; National Revenue Tax on tolls $5 4.85; C. L. Smith, printing $11.75. Relief — E. Hendrick rent $3.50; J. Albrecht, transients $5.25; Reid & Co., account $12.05; W. Hay al-1 lowance $20; Mrs. G. Moulton rent $3; Stade & Weido coal $18.25; E. ■ Tieman acct., $15.00. j General Accounts — Municipal World, supplies $9; postage, tax ver­ ifications $1.35; Treasurer Huron hospitalization $62.10;. Hospital Sick Children grant $5; Municipal World supplies $6.03; Department Health, insulin, $5.76; Queen Alexandra Sanatorium, refilla pheumothrax $15 ; t0 you, and may they be many, be delightful contin- friends been discontinued at any time after debentures in full have been paid and I further service is wanted on same I premises. I That Henry Thiel be appointed f influence bus been a helpful neighbor- you have that the seems to as Christian people. It hardly seemed true to us that you are intending to leave oui’ hood. For so long a time been associated with us, thought of your removal stagger us. The changes which will be necessary in our church because - - of your departure, we will have to Bell Telephone Company, j ^ace a Spirit of courage, and hope­ fulness, for the must be car­ ried on. But it is only now. when we are trying to adjust ourselves to these changes, that we become aware of the tremendous gap that your leaving is going to make, that we ; realize what you have meant in the days gone by. Permit us to say that there is wis­ dom in the step you are taking. We would much rather see you retire j from the farm for a few years of quiet and rest, during, which period we shall be able to enjoy your friend­ ship, as we see and visit you in the neighboring town. The loss in this way is not so serious or so sad as if it was a long last farewell. Therefore we want to express our best wishes , to you both that the years remaining The council to meet again on Mon-1 full of' brightness and < day March 6th, at 1.30 o'clock in memories flavored with the the afternoon. j ued fellowship, of your many A. F. Hess, Clerk. at chiselhurst. | may voice in a prac- REFORESTATION IN PROGRESS tical way the senS? of Privilese I which we have had through the years A statistical report from District and the debt of gratitude and high Agricultural Representative J. C. esteem we feel toward you both. Shear.er presented Show that in 1938 ( Your work among our children as there were 200’,40 trees planted in teachers in the Sunday School; your Huron County, the trees having been position, Mr. Pybus as our Sunday Forestry School Superintendent and >on the various ^boards of the church, and Stressing the importance of the (the efficient way in which you have reforestation and speaking oif the. represented us at Presbytery and interest it has been creating, among j conference gathering, are all worthy the farmers of the district, Mr. •; Of our recognition. Your readiness, Shearer reminded the farmers that' Mi's. Pybus, to help in the musical they have only until the first of April Hfe of the church, and the manner to make applications to the Ontario ■ in which you have assisted in the Forestry Branch, should they be an- j work of the Women’s Missionary So- tici^ating any tree planting this sea- i ciety and the Women’s 'Association son? Tb_? application forms may be'and the efficient way in which you secured from the Agricultural Re-1 have held every office entrusted to presentatives office at Clinton p«'1 1---- -— left there or may be forwarded di­ rectly to the Ontario Branch, Parliament Buildings. The report showed that in Huron 188 residents had planted 164,894 trees for woodlot purposes and 32, 036 were planted for windbreak pur­ poses. Four rural schools had made application and planted 365 trees and two municipalities had under­ taken similar projects planting 3,- 175 trees. The stock list for 1939 shows the. following trees available for forest planting, white pine, red pine, scotch pine, European larch, white spruce, walnut, butternut, elm white soft maple, hard maple, red Caroline popular low cuttings and windbreaks are, way spruce and supplied by the ■ Intario Branch, Toronto. and [you, are indications of your conse- 1 oration and love for the work of the Forestry ! Christian Church and a tribute of I that splendid spirit of co-operation that seeks to exalt neighborliness. We desire therefore as a congre­ gation to manifest our sincere grati­ tude and appreciation and to extend to you both our good wishes for the years to come by presenting you with these tokefifc of esteem from the various departments of our church and from all the members and ad­ herents Oif the 'Chiselhurst United Church. May the Lord richly bless ’your lives and make you a blessing . in your new church home at Exeter. Your fellow members of the Chis­ elhurst United Church. Mr. Pybus then thanked the con­ gregation and Mrs, Pybus also ex­ pressed her thanks th the W. M. S. members for making her a llge-rnem- ber of the Society. Mr. Pybus also spoke on a few important points of years gone by. Mr. Pybus attended church and Sunday School at Chis-j | elliurst all his life. He can well re-1 I member going to Chiselhurst Sunday I SometiffidS, an ounce of ‘keep-your- School in the old church which Stood | mouth-closed’ is better than a pound just across the road from the church ash, oak, cuttings, white wil- among the trees for White spruce, White cedar, Did you ever ktibw a rich Nor man Whoso relatives were too prdud to ask him for a loan? * * * of the present day. It was a frame structure heated by a large box stove with a row of pipes going up each side of the church, across the front of the chimney, Mrs. Pybus also said that it was twenty-five years since coming to thos neighbor­ hood and how that she was nevei' sorry she had come and J am sure that the people of this community were certainly .glad to have Mrs. Py­ bus with them, who has so gracious­ ly helped in every organization pos­ sible. We the people of Chiselhurst wish Mr, and Mrs. Pybus a long happy re­ tired life in their new home at Ex­ eter. Rev. R. A. Brooks then led in prayer. Jean Venner gave a reading which was followed by a selection from the choir, “There’s a Rainbow in the Clouds for You.” Rev. Mr. Brook favored with a solo which was much enjoyed by all. The Na­ tional Anthem was sung and the benediction pronounced. 100,000 POUNDS OF WOOD IN HURON The wool trade of Huron Presents an interesting feature. Though 12th in standing as to the number of sheep raised as compared with other Ontario 'Counties the wool clip amounts to approximately 190,000 pounds per season. However, the quantity of wool sold through the medium of the Canadian Co-opera­ tive Wool .Growers’ Association has steadily declined during the past five years due to the low price obtainable consequently the greater percentage has been sold to local and outside buyers. A still greater quantity per­ haps is in the hands of the produc­ ers, A local farmer stated that he knew of one sheep raiser in Huron who has four seasons’ clip in stor­ age. The following table covering a period of six years is enlightening. Thoi^h the amount marketed in 1934 through the co-operative, ex­ ceeded that of 1*1)33 the decline since then has been steady, and taking number of shippers into considera­ tion the decline started in 1933. Questioned as to why Huron Co. is so low in sheep raising focal farmers said one reason is there are too many dogs running at large. Ship­Quantity Average Year pers sold Clip 1933 29 7,002 lbs.241.4 1934 45 8,679 lbs.192.8 1935 33 6,744 lbs.204.4 1936 37 6,993 lbs.189 1937 32 5,567 lbs.173.9 1933 22 4,258 lbs.193.1 T NEW LIBRARY BOOKS The following are a list of hooka received recently at th© Exeter Pub­ lic Library, Fiction “There I’ll Look Up” “Lamp in the Valley” “The Joyful Delaney’s” “The Doomsday Men” “Prelude for War” “Slippery Staircase” “Growth of a Man” Mowat Stringer Walpole Priestly Charters Larac De La* Roche 'All This and Heaven Too” R. Field 'Fur Masters' ‘Buccaneers” ‘Dr. Bradley’ 'Maris” Sullivan Wharton Young G, L. Hill Adult Classed ‘Let’s See if the World Goes Round* PMielche A. Lindberg B. Baxter Hagben Roberts Morton “Listen the Wind” “Westminster Towers" “Science for a Citizen" “Trending into Maine” “Lands of the Bible” ‘Queen Victoria’s Daughters' Benson “Alone” ; “Memoirs of Sir Robert Borden1 “Evolution of Physics” Juvenile “Mere and Shari” “Marionettes’.’ Byrd l" Enstein “Trap Lines North” “The Curious Lobster” “Rip D’Arey” “Mr. Pepper’s Penquins” Dies at Mitchell Mrs. David McClacherty, formerly Margaret Baird, died February 16th in hei* 86th year. She was born in Fullarton Township, and was a dau­ ghter of the late Mr. and Mrs. John Baird. She was married on March 10 1901, to David McClatherty, who predeceased her in June, 1934. Her entire lifetime was spent in Fullar­ ton Township and Mitchell. Mrs. Mc- Clatcherty is survived by two. nieces, Mrs. E. Hocking, Fullarton and Miss Margaret Henderson, Orangeville, and one nephew, Frank Baird, of Mitchell. REGISTERED SEED BARLEY AND OATS Available Canadian supplies of re­ gistered seed barley in 1938 were approximately 131,000 bushels. The quantity of certified varieties was around 59,000 bushels, most of which was held in Alberta, Saskat­ chewan, Manitoba and British Col­ umbia. The total production of re­ gistered and certified seed oats in 1938 was estimated at '885,000 bu­ shels and 317,000 bushels respect­ ively. Certified varieties of seed oats have been grown in the Prairie Provinces, while the supplies of re­ gistered varieties are distributed throughout the Dominion. Sawyer Ackley “Foui' and Twenty Blackbirds” [Lawson Meader Hatch O’Brien Atwater ‘Knit ‘One Purl One’ Wimple-Shields “Modern Marvels Encyclopedia” Crossland Wilson Brown Tempest “Through the Bible” “Log of a Lame Duck” “Fuzzy Reg” Another Bad Night Could Get No Rest e To the thousands who are toesing, night after night, on sleepless beds, or who pace the floor with nerves unhinged, to those who wake up with bad dreams and nightmares, we offer in Milbum’s Health and Nerve Pills a remedy to help soothe and calm the nerves and bring back the shat­ tered nervous system to a perfect condition. . Then no more broken rest, no more nightmares, no more getting up in the morning feeling as tired as when you went to bed. The T. Milburn Co., Ltd., Toronto, Ont. GEO* W. LAWSON y hr yOUt **‘"1often otight tathei- „ th tb fa^r ‘otniu f th be iou n soe ' ,n^ ,o T a*s’aooOH.' lI>ea h ”>^h ^he now I call them every evening!” Somehow you Are attracted to a travelling man who says this. In those few words he tells you ihuch about himself and his family* He sets an example by “Coing home*’ every evening—by Long Distance* Dy bsjng lom Night Rates twhich apply cv^ry evening after 7 find all day Sunday)^ and placing ^Anyone* cun talk a lohg way for very litite.