40A 



Journal 0] Agriculture. 



[8 July, 1908. 



from the more prolific plants. The fine ear is but one characteristic, and 

 by merely selecting typical ears from the seed ploit, we may get the typical 

 ears and along with them other characteristics that are undesirable. The 

 breeder who neglects to study the whole plant during .the W'hole of the 

 girowing period, and to preserve his best plants from contamination will 

 ne\'er make a success. 



4. MAIZE COBS 4 MONTHS AFTER SOWING OF SEED. 



I. Boone County Special. 2. Triumph I'lint. 3. Yellow ]\Ioruya. 



4. Victorian Flat Red. 5. Hickory Kiny 6. Sydney White Horse Tooth. 



7. North-Western Dent. 8. Sydney P'la: Red. g. Ninety Day. 



Everv gnain en the ccl; is an indixidiial fr'uit and the result of an 

 individual female flower — the silk. The silks are fertilized and the grain 

 set by the pollen that blows in miniature clouds from all the stalks around, 

 and the chances are manv that everv grain on the ear has had a different 

 male parent. In selecting a plant for seed and quantity per acre, it would 

 be better to select one with two medium sized ears on the stalk, in pre- 

 ference to one large ear, as the two medium sized ones are likely to return 

 more seed than the one big one. Before the plants come into tassol those 

 that show weakness, such as a deficient growth, should be marked and as 

 soon as the tassels show the latteir s^hould be pulled out before the pollen 

 appears. In the same way detassel all undesirable, stalks, such as those 

 with suckers, barreui or smutty stalks, or other blemishes. In order that 

 inbreeding mav be prevented de'tassel one-half of each row- in the following 

 manner : — 



Row I 



,' 4 



After the seed is carefully selected and tested, the selection and plant- 

 ing of the plot requires careful attention. It should be of good degree of 

 fei-tilitv, but extra care should not be given, since seed grown under sucli 

 favorable circumstances might not produce so well when planted in the 

 general field. 



