ON CORN BREEDING 



139 



The best ears of the breeding plots are divided into two 

 eroups, the very best of which is destined for the breeding 

 plot of next year, and the other for the multiplying or increase 

 field. Here it is cultivated and multipHcd in order to yield, 

 in one year, all the seed corn for the commercial fields of the 

 farm. By this means well bred seed is secured for the main 

 crop of each year from the breeding plot of two years before, 



^a;^'-/- i ^ -V tiiftf^j^M^ 



Fig. 41. Rows from ears of corn which have been self-fertih'zed and 

 from those which have not been seif-fertiHzed. The small rows are those 

 self-fertilized. On the breeding blocks of Funk Bros. Seed Co., Bloom- 

 ington, 111. 



either for ordinary purposes or eventually in order to sell the 

 product of the farm as pedigreed seed-corn. 



The selecting work on the breeding plot can be divided 

 into two parts, that before and that after tassehng. The 

 first comprises all those characters which may be judged on 

 the growing plants ; the second is mainly concerned with the 

 ears themselves. The first is accompanied by the extirpa- 

 tion or detassehng of all the stalks which at that time prove 

 to be of minor value and so prevents them from cross-breed- 



