FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VIII. 663 



The marked improvements in corn as in the past will in the future be 

 acomplished by specialists. The average farmer is well able, and is far- 

 sighted enough, to pay a good price for seed that will' increase his yield 

 even a bushel or two per acre. 



The fundamental principles of animal husbandry are just as fixed 

 and important in the corn breeding business. The old motto that "Like 

 produces like" should govern all selections of breeding animals and farm 

 grains. 



Many farmers give the selection of corn too little attention, selecting 

 their seed from some imaginable or fancied whim, not knowing whether 

 their ideas are founded on correct principles or not. Some, for instance, 

 want a smooth ear, because it is easy on the hands in husking. Others 

 want a long ear, because they seem to fill the wagon faster, and will se- 

 lect this type regardless of the fact that the grain is shallow and the 

 butts and tips poorly filled. Some will get seed from too far south, thus 

 getting a larger variety than will mature well. Others will mix two 

 varieties, expecting to increase the yield and combine in the cross tho 

 good qualities of both, while more often they will have produced a mon- 

 grel which has the undesirable qualities of both and is utterly worthless. 



There is nothing that is more yielding to the hand of man in the 

 way of selection and environment than the corn plant. The common plan 

 in trying to improve corn is either to cross two varieties or by a series 

 of selections from one sort. The latter is much the safest plan and is 

 generally done through a series of breeding blocks, always keeping in 

 mind the type you are selecting for. 



Breeding blocks are small plots of ground selected where the most 

 complete isolation may be received. The rows should be forty or fifty 

 rods long and each one of the rows planted from a single ear. The ears 

 and rows are numbered and the row number kept as the record of each 

 ear. Weak or barren stalks are cut out so that each kernel will be pol- 

 lenated by a strong, vigorous stalk. Every other row is detasseled 

 the latter part of July or the forepart of August and seed corn selected 

 from the highest yielding rows of this breeding block. A few of the very 

 choicest ears from the few best rows are again chosen for use in the 

 lenated by a strong, vigorous stalk. Every other row is de tasseled 

 used in the larger fields. It will be noticed that some of these rows will 

 make extraordinary large yields while others will make only a very or- 

 dinary yield. The corn can be husked and weighed each row separately. 

 By counting the exact number of hills and figuring three thousand five 

 hundred and fifty-six hills to the acre the yield per acre may easily be 

 computed. The results of years of such selection should be the "survival 

 of the fittest." 



