4 The Bulletin. 



much quicker with plants than with animals, as a completed growth 

 is obtained in one year with most plants, while with animals it re- 

 quires several years to secure complete knowledge of what one has 

 obtained by a certain cross. 



STAKTING THE WORK. 



The method that has been followed by the Department was to con- 

 duct on the large and important soil-type areas of the State compara- 



FlG. 1- Type ears of varieties: (1) Cocke's Prolific; (2) Weekley's Improved; (3) Shellem's 



Prolific; and (4) Biggs' Seven Ear. 



tive tests of all the known varieties of promise grown and offered for 

 sale in this and other near-by States through a sufficient number of 

 years to secure average weather conditions. 



With the variety or varieties demonstrated by these tests to be the 

 most prolific of shelled corn per acre, field seed selection for further 

 improvement was begun and systematically continued ; having upper- 

 most in mind, in selecting seed, total yield per acre. By this means 

 it has been observed that the yield has been greatly increased in a 

 comparatively short time. Largely through careful seed selection 



