Newspapers / The Echo (Pisgah Forest, … / Sept. 1, 1948, edition 1 / Page 30
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FARM TOUR Recently, two farm tours were made in the county by a group of interested citizens. Dr. Charles Ray, Jr., of Plant Research ivas one of the Ecustans taking these tours, and we asked him to give his impressions of the farm progress being made in the county. He has not only done an excellent job in summarizing these tours, hut has taken some outstanding pictures. (The beautiful picture above was taken at the farm of Arlin and Furman Reese in the Boyleston community.) The farmers of Transylvania County are mak ing progress toward better farming practices and gaining the benefits of more efficient methods. The results of research are being brought to the farm by the county agent and by representatives of the N. C. State Experiment Station. The progress being made on the farms was shown to an interested group through a series of Transylvania Farm Tours carried out by the Coun ty Agent, Mr. Julian A. Glazener. H. P. Vannah, Charles Ray, Jr., and F. J. Fendley, all of the Plant Research Department here, attended part of these tours because of their interest in the application of present day agricultural research to farm practices. Corn fields were inspected on the August 12 th tour. HYBRID CORN THRIVES The spread of hybrid corn through the county is impressive. Hybrid corn has been one of the striking accomplishments of the plant breeder. Corn is normally cross-pollinated. Some plant breeders about 35-40 years ago found that when corn plants were inbred for numerous genera tions the offspring were weaker and less pro ductive. These inbred lines were so poor that no self respecting farmer would want them on his land. But, the corn breeders found that when two inbred lines were cross bred, the offspring were more vigorous than might have been ex pected—in some cases the hybrids were more pro ductive than the original open pollinated variety from which the inbreds came! The offspring of the crossing of inbred lines—called hybrid corn —were also very uniform. To be sure, crosses of different inbred lines gave different hybrids— some better than others. Then the search was on. Numerous inbred lines were developed (Continued on page 30) 28
The Echo (Pisgah Forest, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
Sept. 1, 1948, edition 1
30
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