164 THE FARMER OF TO-MORROW 



reported the astonishing finding that over fifty 

 per cent, of the seed saved by the farmer for 

 the next planting was sterile. This meant 

 something in dollars and cents to the Iowa 

 farmer. It meant that only two out of the 

 usual four grains to the hill germinated. And 

 the student was able to drive the fact home 

 at this point by still another simple truth that 

 has been learned recently. It is this: Ex- 

 perience in breeding has proved that a large 

 perfect ear of corn selected for breeding pur- 

 poses is more prepotent when selected from 

 a hill having several healthy stalks than a hill 

 having only one. Why this is true is less im- 

 portant to the farmer in the field than the 

 simple fact that it has been found to be true. 

 It enables him now to select his seed corn at 

 harvest time with regard both to the vigor 

 of the plant and the perfection of the ear; 

 and any farmer who is unable to test the ger- 

 minating quality of this corn at home can 

 send it to his state experiment station and 

 have it done for him. 



Throughout the run of our staple crops, we 

 are beginning to appreciate the importance 

 of the Mendelian theory of dominant char- 

 acteristics. There are dozens of varieties of 



