28 



CKOSSBREEDING CORN, 



in 1910 was grown under identical conditions in 1909. Tlic Selection 

 160 seed was also taken from the 1909 crop and from detasseled 

 stalks in a near-by, though sutliciently isolated, field. 



These two crosses are compared with their parent varieties in 

 Table YII. 



Table VII. — Relative productiveness of first-generation crosses and parent varieties of 



corn crosses viade and tested at Chico, Cal. 



RELATION OF ADAPTATION AND YIELD OF PARENT VARIETIES TO THE 



BEHAVIOR OF THE CROSSES. 



Since there is a wide range of variability in the behavior of crosses 

 between different varieties, it is of importance to discover, if possible, 

 whether these differences have an}^ relation to the yielding power of 

 the parent varieties. 



In this test, as is usual in a series of varieties collected from differ- 

 ent localities and subjected to adveree conditions, a wide chfference 

 exists in the response of the different varieties to these conditions. 

 Since all of the varieties are well selected and improved for the locali- 

 ties from which they came, the yield of each may be taken as an 

 indication of its adaptation to the con(Htions of the test. 



The highest yielcUng crosses (x Selection 119), arranged accorchng 

 to productiveness, are: Golden Eagle, Red Blaze, Cross 120, Selec- 

 ti(m 77, and Selection 138. A comparison of the yields of the original 

 varieties shows that tlie female parents of these crosses rank in pro- 

 ductiveness as follows: Golden Eagle, lirst; Red Blaze, seventh; 

 Cross 120, sixth; Selection 77, fourth; Selection 138, fifth. The 

 fact that the female parents of these high-yielding crosses rank high 

 in yield among the original varieties is an indication that the adaptiv- 

 tion and i)i()(ki(tivity of the parent variety determine the adaptation 

 and productivity of tlie cross to some extent; or, in general, the 

 highest yielding crosses may be expected to result from crossing the 



218 



