The Indian Corn Crop 173 



opment of stalk common to warmer climates, so that the 

 general notion has arisen that corn in the South must be 

 planted very wide apart to give it air, and with a single 

 stalk in a hill five to six feet apart each way, a large crop 

 is out of the question, especially since the tall com has 

 long since, through this same careless selection of the 

 biggest ears in the crib, gotten to produce but a single 

 ear on a stalk. 



Much has been written of late years in 

 Good Seed regard to the selection of the seed of the 

 Important in -'■^^^^^ ^^"^ plant. Methods of selection 

 all Sections should, however, be adapted to some ex- 

 tent to the conditions of soil and cHmate 

 where the crop is to be grown. In the more Northern 

 sections it is important that the crop ripen early so as to 

 avoid danger from the early frosts in the fall. Hence, 

 the Northern planter needs to select in the first place com 

 that has been produced in his climate, for there is no crop 

 grown that is so much influenced by being transferred 

 far north or south of the section where the crop is to be 

 produced. On the more Northern limit of com culture 

 the long-eared, eight-rowed, flint corns are essential to 

 success, while coming into more southerly climates the 

 dent corn in numerous varieties takes the place of the 

 flint, and in the fertile lands of the southem river bottoms 

 the horse-tooth or gourd-seed corns find a congenial home, 

 and if any of these are transferred northward or south- 

 ward they take some time to become acclimated to new 

 climatic conditions. 



Therefore, in the improvement of our seed com we 

 should avoid sending off north or south of our locality 



