SELECTING SEED CORN 279 



If the number runs below 14 the ear should be dis- 

 carded. The rows should run straight from butt to tip 

 and those ears containing wavy rows or rows that be- 

 come mixed at any point and lose their identity are not 

 to be taken. 



Do not select ears that are much larger at the butt 

 than at the tip. The cob of the perfect ear should be per- 

 fectly straight and uniform in circumference. 



The grain should be rather wedge-shaped but sym- 

 metrical and well formed and not too long. The tip of 

 the ear should be perfectly covered with corn, as well as 

 the butt. Not many ears containing these characteristics 

 will be found in a random selection the first season ; but 

 by careful breeding, ears may be produced which will be 

 perfectly covered at both ends and symmetrical in ap- 

 pearance from butt to tip. 



In selecting seed corn it is necessary, of course, to aim 

 at the perfect standard and not be content with anything 

 else. If one goes to the trouble of making any selection, 

 why not carry it out to its conclusion and strive to pro- 

 duce perfect grains instead of one half or three quarters 

 perfect? Only the perfect grain is worth striving for. 

 The selection of seed corn in the field is not any easy job 

 or one quickly accomplished. It cannot be done in the 

 usual corn picking way, but must be done with basket 

 on arm and in a spirit of calm contentment even though 

 a whole day's work brings no more than a dozen perfect 

 ears to the seed bin. 



If the work is hastily done the chances are largely in 

 favor of a poor crop the following year. What is a day 

 or two spent in the selection of seed as compared to the 

 increase of a year's crop resulting from careful and wise 

 selection ? 



The ears selected for seed should each be carefully 

 marked and labeled and it is a good plan to make the 

 label explicit. For this purpose a card two or three 



