April, '14] HINDS: BLACK WEEVIL CONTROL 209 



been included in the variety tests at the Alabama Experiment Station. 

 We consider large yield, sound grain, thorough husk covering and 

 pendent ears to be among the requisite characters and would rank 

 varieties according to their possession of this combination of char- 

 acters in largest degree. Work in breeding corn for these characters 

 should give extremely valuable results in the near future. 



Among the most promising varieties found to date are Experiment 

 Station Yellow, a variety under selection for weevil resistance for many 

 years past by the Alabama Experiment Station. It has repeatedly 

 stood high in yield. About half of its ears are now pendent and about 

 80 per cent are exceptionally well covered. It also has a hard grain. 

 Another variety, already widely planted, known as Whatley's Prolific 

 has about 90 per cent pendent and 80 per cent of well-covered ears. 

 Among less Avell-known varieties several deserve mention and further 

 study. A new variety, known as Mayer's Prolific, supplied to us by 

 Mr. O. H. Moyer of North Augusta, S. C, showed up remarkably 

 well, having on 75 plants, 164 good ears of which 85 per cent were 

 pendent and 97 per cent extremely well covered. There was almost 

 no weevil work on this variety. Randall's Branch and U. S. D. A. 

 variety N/d. 181 were quite good. Among varieties not especially 

 resistant but widely planted, Hastings, Mosby and Marlboro Prolifics 

 would rank quite closely together, while at the other extreme some 

 large-eared varieties like Shaw and Henry Grady have a large per- 

 centage of ears with tips exposed and the weevil infestation usually 

 runs high even before time for storage. 



Recommendations for Future Practice 



Looking at the problem from the point of view of protecting the 

 1914 crop as it is produced and stored, we may mention some of the 

 main points in a system that will largely reduce the weevils and mini- 

 mize loss during storage. 



Seed Selection: — This should by all means be practiced in the field 

 at the time of harvesting. Only at that time can proper attention 

 be paid to several of the most important factors in corn improvement. 

 If obliged now to depend upon crib selection, and the corn still has the 

 husk on, we would select ears having tight husk covering in addition to 

 other desired characters. 



Trap Rows: — To protect upland corn, we should at planting time 

 provide for a few rows to be planted either two or three weeks earlier 

 or with seed of a more rapid maturing variety, so that it will mature 

 earlier than the main crop and serve to concentrate the weevils there- 

 abouts. Gather all ears with the husk on from these trap rows within 

 six weeks after it passes the "roasting ear stage. " This is to keep the 



4 



