1907.] DISCUSSION. . 133 



flint varieties. We tried that last year with a number of ears 

 which were afterwards analyzed chemically, and I could only 

 make a difference of less than half a per cent. 



The President. You were speaking a moment ago about 

 nubbins, and saying that you could see but very little difference 

 in the quality. Now there are naturally a great many kernels 

 developed on the nubbins, but not so especially at the tip end. 

 Now that is not good corn, is it ? 



Mr. East. Well, we never analyze imperfect kernels. 



You mean kernels where insects have injured them perhaps? 



The President. No, not those that have been particularly 



injured, but those that are smaller, shriveled up^ lighter in 



weight and less perfect. 



Mr East. Where the kernel is perfect, or the germ is per- 

 fect, there does not seem to be any great difference, but I 

 should imagine that there would be with the imperfect kernel. 

 Mr. Platts. Mr. Chairman, I would like to ask the Pro- 

 fessor this question: Is there any hope that corn can be so 

 ^rown later on, in consequence of these improvements, that in 

 its protein content it can be made the equivalent of wheat or 

 oats ? 



Mr. East. Yes, the protein content has been greatly in- 

 creased by improvement. The work which has been carried 

 on in Illinois shows that, there, for eight years, the development 

 grew to 14.98. That is quite a percentage higher than the 

 average for wheat. Of course, it is not definitely known at 

 present whether that will remain at 14.98 without continuous 

 selection or not. There are two different theories on that ; 

 one of which is that wheat variation is often a very small varia- 

 tion in which a new character is obtained that will be perma- 

 nent and without mere selection, but it is very likely that by 

 selection of those seed grains which show an improvement, 

 by a continuous selection a much higher protein content will 

 be obtained. It is also probable that continuous selection will 



