10 



The Bulletin. 



ally either produced on stalks that bore but one ear or else on stalks 

 that grew on some fertile spot in the field, either of which seed does 

 not tend to promote the greatest yields when planted. Corn grown 

 on average land will do better planted on land of medium fertility 

 than when corn gi'own on rich land is used, for the same reason that 

 stock accustomed to poor conditions will do better on an inferior 

 pasture than stock accustomed to more favorable surroundings. 



The selection should not be turned over to the hired man, but 

 should receive the best efforts of the farmer himself, as it is sure 



12 3 4 



Fig. 4— Poor and well-shaped ears: (1) Well-shaped ear; (2), (3) and (4) are all undesirable ears 



for seed purposes. 



that time expended in this work will prove as profitable, if not more 

 so, than any other work done on the farm. By continually selecting 

 and planting corn possessing certain desirable characteristics, such as 

 production of two good ears per stalk, it will he found as the selection 

 goes on from year to year that these desirable qualities have each 

 year become more thoroughly fixed. 



It should be constantly kept in mind that on every farm changes 

 beneficial or detrimental are continually taking place, as it is an 

 inherent tendency of all plants to vary more or less and retrogTade or 

 "revert" to a less productive state if intelligent and rigid selection » 

 is not persistently kept up. 



