The Bulletin. 45 



stover. (2) Liirgc-cared varieties usually have a low percentage of 

 grain to cob and are as a rule less productive of shelled corn pei- acre. 

 (3) Ears with very small cob have poorly-shaped kernels and give a 

 small amount of shelled corn per ear, and vice versa. (4) Kernels 

 of low vitality do not tend to the growth of plants of maximum yields. 

 Associated Characters. — (1) Earliness, other things being equal, 

 usually tends to high percentage of ear to stover, and vice versa, 

 although this ratio is more or less modified by season, soil, fertiliza- 

 tion and breeding. (2) Varieties producing two ears per stalls are 

 generally more productive of shelled corn per acre than those bear- 

 ing only one ear, although it may be a large one. (3) Medium 

 maturity, other things being equal, tends to increase yields per acre of 

 grain. (4) Small kernels usually possess low vitality. (5) Kernels 

 with small germs (chits) contain a small percentage of oil or fat. 

 (6) Varieties with good root and leaf development are usually the 

 most resistant ones to drought and disease and insect ravages. 



SELECTING SEED FOR IMPROVEMENT. 



In the improvement of corn by seed select-ion an endeavor should 

 be made to start with the best variety as ascertained by actual tests in 

 the field through a sufficient number of years to eliminate weather 

 conditions. It must be borne in mind that in all plant improvement 

 the same principles and practices that have been employed with such 

 striking results in the improvement of the different breeds of animals 

 must be followed. 



For corn there are three general methods of improvement: First, 

 by importation of seed from some reputable breeder or grower ; second, 

 by the careful selection of seed corn from one's own field or from a 

 neighbor's ; third, by careful selection and growing of seed corn in a 

 field isolated something like four or five hundred yards from any 

 other cornfield. 



The characters that should be taken into account in the improve- 

 ment of corn by selection are : 



(1) Selection of ears from stalk bearing two or more ears, as it has 

 been demonstrated time and again that a variety that bears two 

 medium-sized ears per stalk will generally give higher yields of 

 shelled corn per acre than a variety bearing one large ear to the 

 stalk. 



(2) The stalk should be large at the base and tapering gradually 

 towards the tassel, for two reasons: First, because it will be better 

 enabled to withstand drought, and, second, because it will stand up 

 better in wind-storms. 



(3) The ears should by all means be of a cylindrical form, with 

 both butts and tips filled out, as this is the form that gives the 

 highest percentage of yield of shelled corn per ear, other things being 

 equal. 



