140 THE ESSENTIALS OF AGRICULTURE 



Since it requires the seed from only twelve or fifteen ears to 

 plant an acre of corn, no reasonable pains should be spared to 

 find the dozen ears that will produce the largest yield on every 

 acre planted. An important consideration in selecting seed corn 

 is to secure a variety or strain adapted to the local conditions of 

 soil and climate. The results of careful experiments have shown 

 that it is not safe to use seed from a widely different latitude, 

 soil, or elevation. 



174. Regional varieties. There are hundreds of varieties of 

 corn, differing greatly in their adaptability to soils and climates. 

 In the middle corn-belt region, embracing the states of Illinois, 



FIG. 61. Ten prize ears of Boone County White corn 



Iowa, Indiana, Ohio, Missouri, eastern Kansas, and eastern 

 Nebraska, the varieties most commonly grown are Reid's Yellow 

 Dent, Learning, Legal Tender, Boone County White (Fig. 61), 

 Silvermine, Johnson County White, St. Charles White, Riley's 

 Favorite, Clarage, Champion White Pearl, Hildreth's Yellow 

 Dent, and Hiawatha Yellow Dent. 



In the northern corn belt, including the states of Michigan, 

 Wisconsin, Minnesota, the Dakotas, and northern Iowa and 

 Illinois, the varieties most generally grown are Silver King, 

 Pickett's Yellow Dent, Golden Eagle, Minnesota No. 13, Pride 

 of the North, Wisconsin No. 7, Clark's Yellow Dent, Wimple's 

 Yellow Dent (Fig. 62), Murdock, and some of the flint varieties 



