PREVIOUS EXPERIMENTS WITH FIRST-GENERATION HYBRIDS. 11 



I crossed some white dent from one locality with pollen from white dent obtained in 

 a remote locality. This may add vigor to the race, though it will probably not other- 

 wise change the race. The plan was conceived by me about a year ago, and several 

 months afterwards the same kind of experiments were reported on many species of 

 plants by Mr. Charles Darwin, of England. The favorable results of many experiments 

 there given are quite remarkable. « 



In 1880 the representatives of five dift'erent agricultural schools 

 entered into an agreement to test by a uniform experiment at their 

 several stations this method of corn improvement. Each experi- 

 menter was to report his experiment to the other parties to the 

 agreement. 



The details of this agreement are given as follows: 



Each man in his own State shall select two lots of seed corn which are essentially 

 alike in all respects. One should have been grown at least for five years (better ten 

 years or more) in one neighborhood and the other in another neighborhood about 100 

 miles distant. In alternate rows plant the kernels taken from one or two ears of each 

 lot. Before plowing, thin out all poor or inferior stalks. As soon as the tassels begin 

 to show themselves in all the rows of one lot, pull them out, that all the kernels on the 

 ears of those rows may certainly be crossed by pollen from the other rows. Save seed 

 thus crossed to plant the next year by the side of seeds of each parent. Seeds of one 

 parent can be obtained from the rows not topped. Seeds of the other parent should be 

 planted by themselves to get pure seeds of the same year. 



For the second year, select two pieces of ground, each as even as possible, about 4 

 by 8 rods in extent. Manure it evenly as possible with barnyard manure if any fer- 

 tilizer is employed. Plow the ground without bed or ridge furrows or, if either occur, 

 plant so that a row of each comes at equal distance from the ridge or bed furrow. 

 Take no unusual pains to make the ground very rich or to cultivate better than usual. 

 Keep the cultivation alike on all parts of the plats as nearly as possible. 



On one of these plats plant some of the cross seeds in alternate rows with seeds of one 

 of the parents. On the other plat plant the crossed seeds in alternate rows with the 

 other parent. Seeds of each parent raised the previous year will thus be tested with 

 seeds of the same age from the cross. Take notes of the time in which the plants in 

 each row come up and of the appearance from time to time. Make plats of the corn 

 and be careful to keep everything straight. Take notes of the time of maturing, and 

 when matured cut near the ground the hills of each row and shock separately. After 

 it is cured, husk and weigh the ears and the stalks separately of each row. It would 

 be well to weigh the dried shell corn of each row separately. In the report give the 

 weight of corn and stalks of each row separately, then a summary of the weights of each 

 parent and the crossed stalk. Each experimenter shall report his experiments thus 

 made to each of the other persons entering into this arrangement. 



A similar experiment was made at the agricultural college in 1878. In this the 

 advantage shown by crossing of corn over that not crossed was as 151 exceeds 100, and 

 in the case of black wax beans it was as 236 exceeds 100. In a similar experiment 

 made during the past two years at the agricultural college, the corn from seed of 

 crossed stock exceeded that not so crossed as 109fVV exceeds 100, or nearly 10 per cent 

 in favor of crossed stock. The experiment was quite carefully made and I do not 

 consider this result as purely accidental. ^ 



« Beal, W. J. Report, Michigan Board of Agriculture, 1877, p. 56. 

 b Ibid., 1880, pp. 287-288. 

 I'Jl 



