148 



Missouri Agricultural Report. 



No significant effect from this selection is yet apparent upon 

 the yielding capacity. From the practical standpoint the thing 

 desired is the declining ear, the advantage being found in the 

 better protection from rain and the greater convenience in handling 

 at harvest. 



THE FLORAL ORGANS. 



All of this work in the breeding of corn is beset with extra 

 complications because of the fact that corn belongs to that class 

 of plants which is said to be "open-fertilized," as distinguished 

 from "self-fertilized." 



The next two pictures represent the floral organs of the corn 

 plant. The tassel is made up of the male flowers of which the 

 essential organs are the anthers which produce the pollen. Figure 

 16 shows a pair of such anthers highly magnified in the ripe 

 condition. The anthers have just bursted and the pollen grains 

 are seen escaping. 



^i^l:.!i 



Figure 18. — Planted from ia-bred seed. 



