12 VALUE OP FIEST-GENEEATION HYBRIDS IN COKN. 



After a lapse of more than thirty years it is hardly possible to 

 improve or refine the method of experimentation as outlined by this 

 pioneer. His method of comparing yields by alternate-row plantings 

 was also more perfect than that of his successors and is again coming 

 into use as the best that has yet been devised. 



In 1881 Doctor Beal made another cross, between two varieties 

 from Oakland and Allegan counties, respectively, and reported the 

 results of the cross as follows : 



The Oakland County seed corn was the better of the two. Owing to an accident 

 we failed to raise any pure Allegan County seed in 1881. The "crossed corn" was only 

 compared with pure Oakland County seed raised last year at the college. 



In the spring of 1882, on good soil in a portion of the vegetable garden, three rows of 

 "crossed seed " were planted in rows alternating with three other rows of pure Oakland 

 County seed of 1881. By an oversight each row af each lot was not kept separate. 

 The pure seed yielded 57] pounds in the ear; the "crossed seed" yielded 69J pounds 

 in the ear. In other words, the crossed stock exceeded the pure stock as 121 exceeds 

 100, nearly." 



EXPERIMENTS IN INDIANA. 



Of the five cooperators entering into the agreement with Doctor 

 Beal to test first-generation hybrids. Prof. C. L. Ingersoll, of Purdue 

 University, seems to have been the only one who reportetl results. 

 In this case it appears that seed of the variety detasseled was not saved, 

 so that the hybrid was compared with only the male parent. Since 

 in this case the cross was made between two strains of the same 

 variety, this failure does not entirely vitiate the results. The experi- 

 ment is reported as follows: 



I took corn from Delaware County and also from Switzerland County, in this State, 

 and planted as in first year's directions. 



The tassels were removed from the Delaware County corn, so that it was certainly 

 fertilized by pollen from the Switzerland County corn. Both were a white dent 

 variety. The result of corn raised was as follows: 



Delaware County (hybrids), 122 pounds, 27.89 bushels per acre. 



Switzerland County, 63 pounds, 14.40 bushels per acre. 



Switzerland County (alone), 72 pounds, 16.46 bushels per acre. 



These results, although small, seem to show that in this instance at least, and with 

 the experiment half completed, there is a marked difference in cross-fertilized and 

 self-fertilized corn when the seed from the crossing is obtained from widely sepa- 

 rated localities and is of the same variety .& 



It seems that the experiment was again attempted two years later'' 

 and hybrid seed was secured, but subsequent reports of the university 

 do not show that the experiment was ever completed, Professor 

 Ingersoll having left the institution. 



oBeal, W. J. Report, Michigan Board of Agriculture, 1881-2, p. 136. 

 ft Seventh Annual Report of Purdue University for 1881, p. 87. 

 c Ninth Annual Report of Purdue University for 1883, p. 72. 

 191 



