ON CORN BREEDING 131 



variety is now considered one of the best yielding sorts of 

 this state. Half a century afterward, in the year 1875 , 

 another farmer applied the principles of cattle-breeding to 

 his corn. James Riley, of Thorntown, Ind., selected seed 

 from the ordinary white corn of Indiana in order to diminish 

 the number of barren stalks and of ears of minor value in 

 his fields. By this means he isolated a variety which he 

 called Boone County White and which is now the most 

 popular variety of white corn in Indiana and Illinois. It is 

 one of the best yielders. 



It would be superfluous to enter into more details. Some 

 crude attempts at selection, as, for instance, the separation 

 of kernels of different color, have been almost universal. 

 Besides .these, the comparative testing of different commer- 

 cial varieties has long since been the acknowledged means 

 of securing the types which best responded to each special 

 local demand. Much improvement has been obtained in 

 this way, but in the long run it has not been adequate to 

 comply with the increasing necessity of keeping up with the 

 exigencies of consumption and industry. It is only since 

 the discovery of the prominence of breeding from single ears 

 that a start has been made that seems destined to change 

 the whole aspect of agriculture in the corn-breeding states. 



The man who started this new principle was Dr. Cyril 

 G. Hopkins, Professor of Agronomy in the University of 

 Illinois. He proved the individuality of the ears not only 

 for the physical characteristics of their kernels, but also 

 for their chemical qualities. He showed that corn may be 

 bred by selection not only for yield, but for special char- 

 acteristics and value for different industrial purposes. He 

 succeeded in convincing the farmers of Illinois of the great 

 possibilities of systematic selection and improvement of 

 corn. The result has been the organization of a society 

 for the purpose of putting corn selection on a business basis. 



