612 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



TABLE SHOWING INCREASE OIL IN CORN BREEDING EXPERIMENT. 



Oil in Seed. Oil in Crop. 



1896 



1897. . • 5.33 5.70 



1898 5.20 4.73 



1899 6.15 5.15 



1900 6.30 5.64 



1901 6.77 6.12 



The iiuiilysis of coru. showing average composition, is as follows: 



The composition of the kernel may be determined in part by simple 

 mechanical examination. The proportion of hard flinty part of kernel to 

 soft starch at the top of kernel indicates per cent, protein and slarch. 

 The size of the germ indicates the approximate proportion of oil. In 

 selecting seed, it is a good plan to select ears having hard, flinty kernels, 

 with good sized chit. These breeding experiments have proven that the 

 amounts of protein, oil and starch may be varied by the corn breeder, 

 either to increase or decrease any one of these elements of composition. 

 The development of milk in the dairy breeds or the per cent, of sugar 

 iu the sugar beet indicates what may be accomplished in corn selection. 



CULTURE. 



The third important feature in the production of corn crop, is the 

 culture, i. e., the preparation of the seedbed, kind of planting and cultiva- 

 tion. The preparation of the seed bed should be of such a nature as 

 to furnish the requirements for germination of the seed corn, moisture, 

 warmth and air. The depth and time of plowing, the floating, discing and 

 harrowing of the seed bed, must vary with the soil and climate. However, 

 the general principles of a thorough fltting of the soil, desti-oying the 

 weeds before the corn is planted and the securing of a mulch to prevent 

 the escape of soil moisture, are the foundations of successful corn culture. 



DISTANCE APART OF HILLS. 



In planting corn, the distance apart of the rows and the hills in the 

 row is important. The general tendency is to bring the hills closer 

 together and plant fewer kernels in the hill. Ten years ago, the ordinary 

 width planter was at least 3 feet 10 inches, and varied to as wide as 

 4 feet 4 inches. To-day the most popular width planter is 3 feet 6 inches, 

 varying to as narrow as 3 feet 2 inches. To show the reason for this 

 bringing together of the rows, a 3-foot 8-inch planter will plant 3,240 



