294 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



Adaptability of corn. — Each succeeding year's work more and 

 more reveals the great adaptability of maize. In previous reports 

 mention has been made of two series of five-3'ear tests, which show 

 that the relative productiveness of a variety in a given locality de- 

 pends upon the location in which the variety has been previously 

 cultivated. The past year's tests show that the growing of a va- 

 riety for but four years in a new locality may cause it to become 

 much more productive there and much less productive in the origi- 

 nal locality than the original seed. Varieties from Mexico and 

 South America when grown in the different sections of this country 

 not only assume an appearance and productiveness unlike that which 

 they exhibit in their native habitat, but assume different appear- 

 ances in different parts of this country. This variation induced by 

 change of environment affords good opportunities for selection. 

 Very profitable strains are being produced in this way and by cross- 

 breeding. 



OUTLINE OF WORK NOW IN PROGRESS. 



Work in the corn belt. — The cooperative work arranged with 

 local breders, corn breeders' associations, and cooperative corn clubs 

 is more extensive than last year. Investigations of methods of breed- 

 ing, planting, and cultivating, of effects of cover crops and crop 

 rotation, and of methods of preserving seed corn are in progress. At 

 the points where strains are being bred for increased productive- 

 ness these strains are being tested in comparison with many local 

 and introduced varieties, and about 500 cooperative variety tests 

 are in progress. Crossbred seed like that which last year proved 

 much more productive than either parent is being produced in con- 

 siderable quantity in order that its productiveness may be exten- 

 sively tested by cooperators. 



Work outside of the corn belt. — In many sections where the 

 requirements for good corn crops are not understood, and where 

 varieties and their adaptation are not considered, suggestions and 

 demonstrations made by the experts of the bureau are of special 

 value and greatly appreciated by those w'ho find it advisable to grow 

 corn. There are reclaimed swamps, deltas, and everglades that give 

 promise of producing good corn crops as soon as adapted varieties, 

 the best planting time, and the most practical methods of culture are 

 determined. There are many localities in the mountains and in dis- 

 tricts recently brought under irrigation wdiere corn is not an article 

 of commerce, but wl)ere it is much needed, and where present at- 

 tempts at corn culture could be made doubly as profitable as at pres- 

 ent. Because of the good results and appreciation which have fol- 

 lowed the work outside the corn belt, as much is being done as the 

 funds and force will permit. 



PLANS FOR future WORK. 



The work of breeding higher yielding strains of corn and of test- 

 ing their productiveness in comparison with local varieties and 

 crosses has been shown to be of such great value in the few localities 

 in which it has been conducted, and is so certain to bring results of 

 profit to the farmer that plans have been made for an extension of 



