CORN BREEDING 129 



(4) More uniformity among kernels, ears, and plants. 



(5) Increased closeness and firmness of grains on the cob. 



(6) Strength, or power of the plant to stand up. 



(7) Lower position of ear on the plant. 



(8) More complete covering of the tip by shucks. 



(9) Tendency for the mature ear to turn downward. 



(10) A decrease in the size of the plant in some varieties. 



112. Hereditary qualities. Among the stalk charac- 

 ters which have been found to be hereditary are the fol- 

 lowing : 



Height of plant ; height of ear ; length of shank ; direc- 

 tion in which the mature ear points; number and width 

 of blades ; tendency to bear more than one ear ; tendency 

 to produce suckers; and ability of the mature plant to 

 stand erect instead of being blown down. Practically 

 all the peculiarities of ear and grain are hereditary. 



113. Height, of ear. It is desirable that the ear or 

 ears be borne at a medium height above the ground (Fig. 

 35). It has been found in breeding experiments (111. 

 Expr. Sta., Bui. No. 132) that the height can be raised or 

 lowered by selection with this definite end in view. In the 

 fourth generation the average position of the ears was 

 twice as high where selection had been made for high ears 

 as in the strain selected for low ears, the difference in 

 height of ears being about three feet. 



Accompanying the lower position of the ears was earlier 

 maturity, a decreased number of internodes and leaves, 

 a decrease in the length of the internodes, and a decided 

 diminution in the height of the plant. 



114. Angle of the mature ear. The Illinois Experi- 

 ment Station has determined (Bui. 132) that the tendency 



