CORN GROWKRS' ASSOCIATION. 191 



under the same conditious aud a careful study of each made. Having 

 selected the variety with which you Avish to begin, give up all others 

 and keep the variety pure by careful selection aud keeping the breed- 

 ing plat isolated so that the pollen from other lields can not reach it. 

 You can always tiud a spot upon the farm where a small plat can be 

 isolated. There are just as good reasons for keeping a variety of corn 

 pure as there are for keeping a breed of live stock pure. 



For the breeding plat we should always select a good, clean piece of 

 ground where the corn can be given the very best attention. Don't be 

 afraid of spending too much time upon this small plat. If you use the 

 product as seed for the next year's field crop, you will be many times 

 repaid for the extra trouble. Always select the very best ears from the 

 breeding plat for planting in a similar plat next year. 



Plant each two ears in alternate rows and detassel all the rows of 

 one of the ears, to prevent inbreeding, and select seed for next year's 

 plat from the detasseled rows. 



All breeding should be toward a single, definite type. In carrying out 

 this, we must keep in mind the size, form and color of the ear; the 

 form, depth, shape, roughness and hardness of the kernel; the covering 

 of butts aud tips; the time of maturity, etc. The character and size 

 of the stalk and the root and leaf development, as well as the position 

 and character of the shank must also be kept in mind. A good, vigorous 

 stalk may make the difference between a good and poor crop, especially 

 when seasons are unfavorable. Productiveness must, of course, always 

 be a leading interest, and all barren and weak stalks should be de- 

 stroyed before they shed pollen. The careful corn breeder should be per- 

 sonally acquainted with each and every stalk in the breeding plat, and 

 a record of the pedigree of each ear selected for seed in the breeding 

 plat should be kept. 



Before closing I wish to say a word about special purpose breeding, 

 such as breeding for protein, starch or fat content of the kernels. Every 

 farmer may do something along one or other of these lines, and for most 

 farmers breeding for protein, which gives the corn a higher feeding 

 value, will be most interesting. The methods which the farmer can em- 

 ploy are based upon the relative proportions of the three principal parts 

 of the kernel— the germ; the white, starchy, and the hard, horny por- 

 tions—and by careful examinations of these much can be done without a 

 chemical analysis. All the kernels of an ear of corn are approximately 

 of the same composition, but different ears vary considerably. In making 

 examinations pick out a few kernels and by cutting them into sections 

 with ii sharp knife, study the relative proportions of the three parts, 

 bearing in mind that the germ and the hard, horny portions of the 

 kernel contain the most of the protein and the Avhlte, starchy portion the 

 least. The germ contains most of the oil, the hard, horny portion comes 

 next, and the white, starchy portion contains very little oil. The white, 



