564 Reading Course for Farmers. 



where corn is grown for the grain, flint varieties are yet used, although 

 dent varieties are in general higher 5aelders. When corn is grown for 

 ensilage the seed is quite generally obtained from Ohio, Illinois, 01 

 some of the western corn states, when it is probable that by careful 

 breeding we could produce local strains that would give just as good or 

 better yields and which would have the additional advantage that the 

 seed could be produced here with safety. Corn which matures suffic- 

 iently for good ensilage has reached a stage when the ears, if properly 

 preserved, will give seed that will grow well. A reduction of a week in 

 the season of such a variety would probably render it sufficiently early 

 so that mature seed could be selected. 



It is important that farmers grow their own seed corn or at least use 

 the seed of some variety grown in their neighborhood which is known 

 to give good results. Seed procured from a distance may not be gocd 

 seed or may have been grown under entirely different conditions. It 

 is usually shelled so the grower does not know whether it has been 

 shelled from good ears or not. The only way therefore of getting good 

 seed is to raise it oneself or buy it from a local man known to be growing 

 a good variety adapted to the locality. 



In this paper the writer will describe two simple methods of corn 

 selection which he believes to be applicable to general conditions and 

 not too complex for farmers to carry out. The methods are not advo- 

 cated as careful breedi^.g methods but simply as method of seeds im- 

 provement. 



First Method of Corn Seed Improvement. 



The grower should select twenty-five of the best ears of com which 

 he can find by a careful examination of a large quantity of ears of a 

 known good variety. These ears should be solid and heavy for their 

 size, of medium length and of medium diameter. They should have deep 

 kernels and moderately small cob (Fig. 2). The kernels should be firmly 

 set on the cob, not moving readily, thus giving a feeling of solidity to 

 the ear. This solidity indicates thorough maturity of ear at husking 

 time. The ear should be cylindrical, have straight regular rows and be 

 well filled at butt and apex. The grower should study different ears 

 until he has well in mind the best type of ear present in the variety 

 he is growing and each of the twenty-five ears selected should be the 

 best representations of this type. 



Practically ever}'' farmer knows a good ear of corn but in this State 

 where early maturing strains are necessary the tendency is to select too 

 large ears. This is especially true in such good seasons as the last has 

 been when any variety medium early in season matured fully. Ordi- 



