114 CORN 



HOME PROJECTS. 



1. Ear-to-Row Method of Improving Corn. First Year. 



Select 25 of the best seed ears that have been found to 

 germinate well. Number each ear. Shell one-half the 

 kernels from each ear and place them in envelopes that 

 are numbered the same as the ears. Keep the unshelled 

 halves where they are safe from mice. Mark off 50 rows 

 about 8 rods long and number them from i to 50. This 

 seed plot should have rich and uniform soil. Plant kernels 

 from ear No. i in row No. i and row No. 26; plant corn 

 from ear No. 2 in row No. 2 and row No. 27; plant corn 

 from ear No. 3 in row No. 3 and No. 28. Proceed in this 

 way until the 50 rows are planted. Give the corn good 

 care during the summer. When the corn is ripe, husk and 

 weigh the crop of corn from each row separately. Seed 

 corn for planting in the field should be selected from the 

 high yielding rows. The unshelled halves of the highest 

 yielding ears should be saved for the second year. 



Second Year. Select a seed plot away from other corn 

 far enough so pollen can not be blown across. This dis- 

 tance should be about 40 rods. Supposing that the two 

 highest yielding ears were No. 12 and No. 18; these should 

 be used for the second year's planting. Make the rows 

 4 rods long; then 4 rows can be planted from each unshelled 

 half. Plant kernels from ear No. 12 in rows i, 3, 5, and 7, 

 and from ear No. 18 in rows 2, 4, 6, and 8. The tassels 

 from rows i, 3, 5, and 7 should be removed as quickly as 

 they appear. The pollen from the tassels in rows 2, 4, 6, 

 and 8 will therefore fertilize the kernels on the ears borne 

 by the plants in the detasseled rows. Seed should be se- 



