312 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



cose, whiskey and Btarch in the West. Corn that is intended for 

 making whiskey, glucose and starch should contain a large amount 

 of Btarch, because it is the only part of the grain of corn that can 

 be converted into whiskey and glucose. These whiskey and glucose 

 manufacturers have developed a corn rich in starch and oil, because 

 one pound of oil is worth as much as five pounds of starch, and one 

 of the large glucose manufacturers of Illinois, which consumes 

 50, 000, 000 bushels of corn annually, pays five cents per bushel more 

 for a high oil corn than a low, which means $2,500,000 for the 

 farmers, who produce this kind of corn. If the whiskey and glucose 

 manufacturers can produce a corn adapted for their business why 

 cannot the farmer? The farmer wants a corn rich in muscle, blood 

 and bone, and the dairyman in milk-producing substance, or a corn 

 rich in protein. In the State of Illinois, beginning in 1896 with a 

 corn that had a nutritive ration of about 1-14, and by taking advant- 

 age of hereditary tendency of which I have already spoken, the Illi- 

 nois Corn Breeders' Association, in connection with the Agricultural 

 Experimental Station at Urbana, and under the direction of Prof. 

 Cyril V. Hopkins and his associates, have developed a corn that has 

 a nutritive ration of about 1-7^, and within the last year have nar- 

 rowed it still more. This work was on exhibition in the Illinois 

 agricultural exhibit at St. Louis, beginning with less than 8 per 

 cent, of protein in 1896 and increasing to more than 14 per cent, 

 in 1903. As I have already stated, the horny protein, the horny 

 starch and the germ contain 80 per cent, of the gluten in a grain 

 of corn; therefore, if we select corn which has a tendency to increase 

 these components we can increase the protein. In the diagram 

 to which I have already referred we see that in the high protein 

 kernel the horny starch extends to the germ, whereas in the low 

 protein kernel there is a layer of starch between it and the germ. 

 It will be noticed on the analytical chart that the increase in protein 

 in high protein corn over low protein corn is almost entirely in the 

 horny part of the kernel. There is a slight increase in the germ also; 

 therefore, if we increase these components we increase the protein. 

 No chemical analysis is necessary to determine the amount of these 

 components. The only instrument required is the farmer's pocket 

 knife. Cut the kernel in two through the middle parallel with 

 the flat side and you will readily see whether the horny part touches 

 the germ or if there is any white starch between it and the horny 

 part. If only a small quantity, you have a corn that has a tendency 

 toward increasing the protein. Cut the grain again, beginning with 

 the tip end, and shave it down gradually, observing carefuhy as you 

 go along and you will see whether the starch layer remains along 

 toward increasing the protein. Cut the grain again, beginning with 

 the germ throughout the entire length of the kernel and you will 



