FIELD, ORCHARD, AND GARDEN CROPS 



145 



the condition of the soil, and the methods of cultivation. Thus 

 each farmer could raise as much corn as he is now producing 

 on half the land with little more than half nnBE^^^KR^HVii 

 the labor. 



Seed Selection. It is important to se- 

 lect seed corn in the field, so as to 

 choose ears from healthy, productive 

 plants. A farmer planted half of his 

 field with seed selected in the field and 

 half with seed selected from the crib con- 

 taining his best corn. 

 Soil and cultivation were 

 the same. The seed corn 

 from the crib yielded 

 eighty bushels to the 

 acre ; the field-selected 

 seed yielded ninety-six 

 bushels. 



For seed, the best ears 

 should be selected from 

 the best stalks. The 

 plants should be stout 

 and healthy, well pro- 

 vided with leaves so as 



to give a good yield of fodder. The stalk should 

 bear two or more good ears, which point down- 

 ward when ripe. The size and shape of ear and 

 kernel, the arrangement and number of rows 

 and the size of cob should be carefully consid- 

 ered. The ear should be well filled out at both ends; the rows 

 should be straight and uniform; and the grains should be 



A good stalk from which to 

 select seed corn 



A good ear of seed 

 corn 



