1 86 NEW JERSEY STATE AGRICULTURAL 



EXPERIMENTS WITH SWEET CORN. 

 HOME GROUNDS. 



Upon the Home Grounds eight blocks of sweet corn were 

 grown and the varieties and times of planting so adjusted that 

 the pollination between different sorts was reduced to a neglig- 

 ible quantity. First of all, a block of "Malamo" was planted 

 near the middle of one half of the two acre area (shown on page 

 185) and upon the same date a corresponding block of "Mala- 

 kosby" near the middle of the other half of the area. The 

 "Malamo" is about a week earlier in blossoming than the "Mala- 

 kosby" and, besides, the distance is sufficient for practical safety. 

 Later on, the other six blocks were planted, the two at one end 

 of the area with the yellow and white strains of the "Golden 

 Bantam-Country Gentleman" cross, near the middle with the two 

 similar strains of "Golden Bantam-Premier" cross, while the re- 

 maining end blocks were planted with yellow and white strains 

 respectively of the "Golden Bantam-Stowell's Evergreen" cross. 

 This plan brought blocks of the same cross nearest each other 

 and, as a matter of fact, the white ears were practically free 

 from any yellow grains. 



"malamo" — ("malakhov-premo"). 



The plants of this early sort were smaller than usual and the 

 crop light, which was generally true of all the blocks of sweet 

 corn upon all the grounds. However, the method of selection 

 was carried out which, in brief, is as follows : A few stalks 

 from among the best are detasseled and labeled with date, etc. ; 

 a larger number of equally good stalks are left with their tassels 

 intact and all other stalks detasseled and not labeled (or else 

 entirely removed). This treatment prohibits breeding within 

 the plant (inbreeding) among one group of the best plants and 

 secures pollination by superior plants and yields the "extra" 

 quality seed for distribution. The second best is secured from 

 the best stalks left with their tassels, among which there is more 

 or less inbreeding while the least desirable product is from the 

 inferior stalks, that were detasseled to prevent pollination by 

 them but themselves fertilized by the best stalks. 



The whole block of thirty-two hills was planted from the same 

 ear, the latter with four of the twelve rows of grains still intact 

 being preserved for ready reference. There is a strong tendency 

 for the production of eight-rowed ears that it is hoped will be 



