THIRD ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART II. 0» 



SORTING SEED CORN. 



Seed being an important factor in determining the yield of the crop, 

 care ought to be exercised in its selection and preparation. The method 

 of selecting and preparing corn for planting may be outlined as follows: 



Make a preliminary test of the vitality of the corn from which the 

 seed is to be selected. This can best be done by selecting from the pile 

 say fifty to one hundred ears and removing two or three kernels from 

 each ear and testing them. If the germination test shows 94 per cent or 

 above the seed will be in good condition. This point determined, the corn 

 should be selected with regard to getting a uniform stand. Place the 

 ears in a row where the light is good and. carrying in the hand two ears 

 which represent most nearly the desired type and possess the desirable 

 qualities, remove all those ears which show objectionable features in the 

 general appearance. They may be too short or too long, the butts and tips 

 may not be covered, kernels may be too wide or too narrow, to thick or 

 loo thin, blocky, irregular in size or mixed. 



From the remaining twenty-five or thirty ears remove two kernels 

 from each and place them germ side up in front of the ear, so that they 



4 3 2 1 



Showing different types of corn. In selecting seed corn, it is important that all 

 the ears be as nearly as possible of the same type. Ears Nos. 3 and 4 are very good ones, 

 but they should not'be planted with No-<. 1 and 2 as they are fifteen days 'ater in maturing 

 than the latter. In order o secure the best pollenization ic is import nit that all the stalks 

 should shoot and silk at about the same time. The very early and very late stalks are 

 usually barren or partly so, owing to lack of pollen at these times. It is also difficult to 

 secu e an even stand with corn of different ty e», as thekerneis are almost certain to be 

 of different types and shapes, making it impossible for a planter to drop them evenly. 

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