METHODS FOR TESTING COEN HYBRIDS. 35 



local adjiistinent interferes with the proper performance of superior 

 and carefully selected strains, even when the seed is carried only a 

 short distance. First-generation hybrids are to a great extent inde- 

 pendent of this delicate adjustment to local conditions. The utili- 

 sation of first-generation hybrids would tend to obviate the neces- 

 sit}' of urging each farmer to breed his own sweet corn, a practice 

 which must surely follow if the highest performance of pure strains 

 Is to be secured. 



The possibility of growing combinations of highly bred strains over 

 wide areas would enable the work of the few really skilled breeders 

 of sweet corn to be much more effective. While the general ])rinciple 

 is very simple and of wide application, its fidlest utilization will 

 require a large amount of experimentation to determine the best 

 combinations for each locality and market. A thorough knowledge 

 of the existing varieties would be of the greatest value to anyone 

 undertaking this work, and, as the cross has to be made anew each 

 year, the inventor of a new and superior combination could much 

 more effectively guard his discovery and secure a more adecjuate 

 reward for his work than is possible to the breeder of a pure strain. 



While further experiments are needed to establish the assumption 

 that crosses of sweet-corn varieties will behave essentially the same 

 as crosses of varieties of field corn, the following possibihties of first- 

 generation hybrids are defuiitely indicated: (1) Increased yield, (2) 

 uniformity equal to that of the parents, (3) quahty intermediate 

 between the parents, (4) increased immunity from disease, (5) exten- 

 sion of the industry into new territory, (6) less localization of highly 

 bred strains, (7) increased utilization of the work of experienced 

 breeders, and (S) stimulus to the work of improvement through the 

 possibility of protecting new productions. 



METHODS FOR TESTING CORN HYBRIDS. 



It is lioped that the present summary of facts and possibilities 

 regarding first-generation hybrids will assist in stimulating experi- 

 ments, especially by those who are in a ])osition to keep careful rec- 

 ords and report the results. 



The ex})eriments are of such a simi)le nature and results nuiy be 

 expected in such a relatively short time that those interested in 

 increased yields should be concerned to learn the possibilities of this 

 method for their particular localities and varieties and to report the 

 results of their experiments as a contribution to the better under- 

 standing of the principles involved. Exceptions are to be expected, 

 though none that may not be ascribed to experimental error have 

 yet been reported. 



191 



