326 Missouri Agricultural Report. 



3. How much of the superiority, which we discover and at- 

 tempt to perpetuate, can be transmitted to subsequent generations? 



SELECTION OF SEED CORN. 



Taking up my first question, I answer (1) by systematic se- 

 lection of seed corn, preferably after a careful examination of the 

 plant and ear in the light of its environment; (2) by the ear-row 

 test. 



In these days, when so much is being said about corn breeding, 

 there may be a tendency to overlook what has been and what is 

 being accomplished by careful selection. I suppose that J. S. Learn- 

 ing and James L. Reid made no use of the ear-row test or of modern 

 corn breeding methods, but they, nevertheless, secured some very 

 valuable results. They certainly succeeded most remarkably in 

 stamping their ideal upon their handiwork, and go where you may, 

 you will find their varieties, and it is no very difficult matter to 

 recognize them. 



Not only did they succeed in establishing a certain type, but 

 what is of more practical moment, they succeeded in establishing 

 high yielding qualities. They may have spent a life time in secur- 

 ing their results, but the results were secured. While it is probable 

 that modern methods will yield greater results, yet it is a little 

 early to boast. 



I am unable to state just what methods Learning and Reid 

 practiced, and consequently, under selection, I shall give you meth- 

 ods which we, of the Ohio Experiment Station, have found pro- 

 ductive of results. 



I think that all will agree that ears of corn are not always 

 as valuable as their appearance would indicate. Excellence may 

 be due to hereditary influence, or it may be due largely to external 

 influences. As ordinarily selected from the shock, wagon or crib, 

 a very large per cent, of seed ears are excellent, because they have 

 grown under much more favorable surroundings than the average. 

 Indeed, it is probable that if we could follow our choice crib se- 

 lected seed ears back to the field where they grew we should find 80 

 to 90 per cent of them growing one plant per hill — their superiority 

 clearly due to the fact that the plant had the food, sunlight and 

 moisture of two or three plants poured into it. 



It is exceedingly difficult to carry from one generation to an- 

 other excellence which is the sole product of environment, unless 

 the environment is carried along with it. Many corn growers are 



