202 agriculture; of MAINE. 



Fortunately this problem rests upon a few simple propositions 

 with a wide range for personal application. Work out your 

 own type and then breed to it and for it. Don't go far afield in 

 mixing types, else all your efforts will be futile. Select your 

 seed in the field from strong vigorous stalks, but only those 

 which answer your conception of type wanted. I am convinced 

 that better seed will be grown on ground fairly well fertilized 

 than on that heavily dressed. If you want gross yield of corn, 

 get plenty of sunlight all about the hill, which means an open 

 stand. 



The yield in 1910 seemed impossible in early September 

 because there was so much daylig'ht through the field. If you 

 want to produce seed ears which will yield heavily when planted, 

 select good ears, even though the stalks were somewhat crowded, 

 and soil conditions not entirely favorable. I like to break my 

 seed ears just as the tips of the husks begin to dry and while the 

 body is green, and feel certain of better returns next year than 

 if fully matured. This is entirely contrary to common practice, 

 but is a step to be tested by others. The past season it was not 

 the kernels which germinated first when planted which gave the 

 largest, strongest or earliest ears. There's a wide field open and 

 yet unexplored before the thinking corn grower. One fact is 

 certain, the man who fails to stamp his own individuality on his 

 work will fail of a bumper crop. That man who starts to do 

 something better in corn growing and follows his own best 

 methods, will win out. One caution may be offered on this 

 question of type and that is, to avoid all coarse, irregular shaped 

 specimens. Whatever your idea of a good ear may be, let it be 

 uniform throughout, of good length, the rows of kernels straight, 

 well filled, large and full. Having these essentials the work of 

 improvement is in your own hands and the type best suited to 

 your conditions certain to follow. 



DISCUSSION. 



In the discussion following this paper one of the members 

 expressed himself as somewhat opposed to the general proposi- 

 tion that each member should be encouraged to breed his own 

 type of corn. This was replied to by the writer of the paper 

 who stated that in his opinion such a plan would do more toward 

 interesting the members of the Association in seed improvement 



