142 



Missouri Agricultural Report. 



BREEDING FOR HIGH AND LOW EARS. 

 AVERAGE HEIGHT OF EARS IN INCHES. 



Figure 11. — High-ear and low-ear breeding plots in the fifth generation. 



Figure 11 shows the two plots in the fifth generation. The 

 white tape shown in the picture was fastened at the middle of 

 the ears in the front row. 



Photographs 12 and 13 were taken the same day and they 

 give a closer view of these two plots. 



It will be noticed that a remarkable difference in the size of 

 the plant has been induced by selecting simply with reference to 

 height of ear. With this difference in size of plant there is a 

 notable difference in time of maturity between these two strains 

 so that at the time of tasseling the low-ear plot is now about a 

 week in advance of the high-ear plot. 



It is of especial interest to note that in spite of the much 

 smaller size of the low-ear plant, in production of grain this strain 

 is thus far yielding fully as well as the high-ear strain. This is 

 very significant, for one of the most important questions before 

 the attention of the corn growers and corn breeders today is that 

 of maturity. The demand is for grain that will grade better in 

 the market, keep better in storage, ship better in exportation, ger- 

 minate better when planted, and our problem is the difficult one of 

 inducing earliness without sacrificing yield. 



