EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETINS. 343 



Two Ears on the Stalk. — 



There is a difference of opinion as to whether corn for seed should 

 be selected from stalks bearing two ears, and whether it is possible by 

 selecting such ears to secure increased yields in future crops. The 

 writer is inclined to the opinion that increased yields are procured by 

 the judicious selection of seed from stalks bearing two ears. 



Size and Shape of Ear and Kernels. — 



The ideal ear of corn, see fig. 3, should be cylindrical rather than 

 tapering in shape: for Michigan conditions, when dry, the ear should 

 be about nine inches long and seven inches in circumference, but the 

 smaller breeds will fall somewhat short of these dimensions. The ker- 

 nels should be deep and slightly spaced between rows, see fig. 4, and 

 should be well filled at butt and tip. 



Depth of kernel is indicated not only by the weight of the ear but also 

 by the degree of roughness of the top of the grain. The experienced 

 corn breeders of the country are strongly favoring and developing rough- 

 top kernels even among the breeds of corn that were originally smooth. 

 Ears as ordinarily secured from the stalk in the fall will shrink as much 

 as 10% in both length and circumference. 



Maturity. — 



Seed corn should be selected from stalks that mature just before the 

 average time of the first frost which, in Michigan, occurs about the 

 loth of September. Corn that matures earlier than this fails to use all 

 of the growing season, while that which ripens later is injured. 



Removing, versus Marking Ears. — 



Some farmers select seed ears by removing them from the standing 

 stalks, but a number of progressive corn growers and some investigators, 

 indeed,, now hold to the opinion that corn that is to be used for seed 

 should be allowed to remain on the stalk until husking time and offer 

 the reason that corn removed from the stalk at an earlier period is 

 lacking in vitality. In case this practice is followed, each ear selected 

 is marked by tying upon it a bright string. The stalks bearing these 

 marks are cut and shocked with the balance of the. crop, and at husking 

 time the marked ears are saved by themselves. 



Selection at Husking Time or from Crib. — 



Some farmers follow the practice of selecting seed at the time of 

 husking, in which case the best ears are set aside regardless of the char- 

 acter of the stalks upon which they grew, or the position and attitude 

 of the ear upon the stalk. Though not commendable this is undoubtedly 

 a much better practice than selecting ears from the crib the following 

 spring. Experience demonstrates that the best results only can be 

 secured when every phase of careful selection has been observed. On 

 large farms it is sometimes the practice to select a suflScient amount of 

 seed corn in the manner above described, to plant a portion of the field, 

 and from this portion seed for the following year is selected, both from 

 the stalk and from the shock at the time of husking. 



