180 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



Professor A. D. Shamel says 25 per cent of the protein of the kernel 

 is within the germ. The white or sitarchy part of the kernel, Doctor 

 Hopldns finds to be equal to about one fifth of the whole kernel. The 

 very poorest starch in the kernel, from the feeder's standpoint, lies just 

 back of or underneath the germ. Hence by increasing the legnth, 

 breadth and depth of the germ we decrease the amount of starch con- 

 tent and get rid of a certain amount of starch that is low in feeding 

 value. These facts show the tremendous advantage gained by the me- 

 chanical selection of the seed. The production of hand pollination or 

 artificial pollination has not been a great success. Detasseling is yet 

 in its experimental stage, but seems to promise important results. Until 

 it is fully demonstrated, the sv/ine breeder is advised to depend upon 

 the great law of all breeding, '"Like tends to produce like." and thus 

 select his seed and give it the soil food and culture its nature and grow- 

 ing habits seem to demand. 



Today the glucose people call for more oil in the corn and offer 5 

 cents additional per bushel for every pound of oil increase per bushel. 

 The feeder of bacon hogs calls for less oil and more protein and ash. 

 The starch factories call for an increase in starch at the cost of other 

 units. Thus you see varied interests demand a change in corn com- 

 position, and it is our purpose as plant breeders to meet these commer- 

 cial demands, if possible. Doctor Hopkins tells us that a bushel of 

 common field corn (weight 56 pounds), at present yields 38 pounds of 

 starch, 7 pounds of gluten. 5 pounds corn bran or hull. 4i/^ pounds germ 

 and the rest made up of water, soluble or other matter. He rates the 

 germ as containing 40 per cenit corn oil, worth 5 cents per pound, starch 

 1% cents, gluten 1 cent and hull % cent. The average yield of corn m 

 our State last year was 32 bushels per acre. On the chemists' basis 

 this would yield 1,152 pounds of starch at IMi cents, $17.28; 57.6 pounds 

 oil at 5 cents, $2.88; 224 pounds gluten at 1 cent, $2.24; 160 pounds corn 

 bran at 1/2 cent, 80 cents. Total, $23.20. Tihirty-two bushels of corn 

 at present prices — Ames market Saturday — 50 cents, would yield $16 

 per acre. 



If we breed and grow corn for a special purpose we will derive an 

 added profit, just the same as we do from the dairy cow. the beef cow. 

 the draft horse, the roadster and the mutton sheep. Let us not be 

 content to grow corn, or even good corn, but let us grow corn for a spe- 

 cial purpose. If we wish to feed corn, let us grow high protein corn to 

 be balanced for ash and lack of full protein ration by that legume most 

 easily grown in your locality. If we wish to grow corn for a starch 

 factory, let us grow a corn high in starch content. If for a glucose 

 factory, one high in oil. and thus derive the greatesit profit from our 

 crop. 



Let us use the good judgment in improving our corn that is exer- 

 cised in developing our swine, and then we will be able to do the great- 

 est good to the greatest number of Iowa pigs. The matter of pedigree js 

 of as great importance in improvement of corn as it is in improvement 

 of pigs. The Illinois Experiment Station is growing a plot of high pro- 

 tein corn, each ear of which has a pedigree protein content net only of 



