i58 



f The first selection is then made of seed corn from the field rows (eacti 

 of which is the progeny of a separate single ear) on the basis of perfor- 

 mance record. Each of the twenty detasseled rows is carefully exa- 

 mined. Some of them are discarded for seed purposes by simple 

 inspection, and with some rows this decision may be made early in the 

 growing season ; because, when each fi<-ld row is planted from a sepa- 

 rate individual ear, that row has an individuality which in many cases 

 is very marked. It may show very imperfect germination (in the 

 most careful work the germinating power of each ear is ascertained 

 before planting), it may be of slow growth, produce small weak plants, 

 or numerous barren stalks. The plants may be tall and slender or 

 very thick and short. In one row the ears may be borne high on the 

 stalks, while in the adjoining row they may average one or two feet 

 nearer the ground. One row may yield more than twice as much corn, 

 as an adjoining row on the same kind of soil. As a matter of fact 

 when one begins to breed corn by the row system (one seed ear to each 

 row), he is usually surprised to find that the plants in some rows are 

 so very different from those in others. 



No seed corn is taken from a row which produces a large proportion 

 of imperfect plants, barren stalks, small ear or a low yield, even though 

 a few apparently good seed ears might be found in the crop which that 

 row yields. 



The points to be consi<^ered in the selection of the field rows, and 

 finally in the individual plants from which seed ears may be taken should 

 include the per cent, of " stand" of plants, the height and physiv'^al pro- 

 portions of the plant, the character and amount of foliage, the position 

 of the ear on the stalk, the length and size of the ear shank, the per 

 cent of ear-bearing plants, the time of maturity, the total yield of the 

 row, the average weight of the ears, and the number of good seed ears 

 which the row produces. 



Some of these points can be detera^ined by inspection, some require 

 actual counts and measurements or weights. 



The corn from each of the detasseled rows which have not been re- 

 jected by inspection is now harvested. First, all of the ears on a row 

 which appear to be good ears and which are borne on ood plants in a 

 good position and with good ear shanks and husks are harvested, 

 placed in a bag with the number of the row, and finally weighed to- 

 gether with the remainder of the crop from the sauie row. The total 

 weight of ear corn which the row yields is the primary factor in de- 

 terminir g the 10 best rows from which all of the 200 ears for the next 

 year's selection must be taken ; and yet no corn breeder should follow 

 even this rule absolutely or blindly. If it should happen that one of 

 these Un best yielding rows, although slightly higher in jaeld, is 

 nevertheless plainly inferior to some other row in the number of good 

 ears produced, the row selection should be changed accordingly. Yield 

 is of first importance, but it should not exclude all other points It 

 is more practical and profitable to produce 99 pounds of good .ears than 

 100 pounds of nubbins, Other things being equal, or nearly so, pre- 

 ference is also given to the rows nearest the centre of the field. 



In the final selection of the 40 seed ears as many as possible of the 

 ten best field rows should be represented, slight advantages in chemi- 

 cal composition are frequently sacrificed fur the sake of haviug such a 



