i 4 8 PLANT-BREEDING 



end. The rows must be straight and uniform, their number 

 must be the same over the entire length of the ear. Devia- 

 tions from these rules will always result in insufficient 

 equality in the grains of the seed-corn. The butts and tips 

 of the ears must be as regular as possible. Rough ears of 

 medium size with a large number of rows of kernels weigh 

 out the most shelled corn. The rows should fit together 

 closely and leave no furrows between them. The best kernels 

 are full and plump at the tips next to the cob and have large 

 germs, indicating high feeding value. The edges should be 

 almost straight in order to fill out perfectly the available 

 space. The cob must be of the same color as the kernels, 

 especially in white varieties, since it is impossible to remove 

 small particles of the cob, and if the cob is red, the meal will 

 be discolored. Last, but not least, the vitality of the seeds 

 must be tested. This is a simple test but of the highest 

 importance, which even in ordinary farming no farmer can 

 afford to neglect. Out of a hundred seeds at least 93 to 95 

 should germinate. With a lesser degree of vitality the 

 stand in the field would be very imperfect, since each failing 

 seed, of course, causes the loss of a stalk and an ear. Per- 

 fect vitality insures a full stand and manifestly has the great- 

 est influence on the yield of the field. In many bulletins 

 great stress is laid on the rule, not to spend time on fancy 

 points. These are characters of the ears and kernels which 

 make a deep impression on inspection but which have no 

 relation to hereditary qualities, or for which at least such 

 relations have as yet not been proven beyond doubt. 



After all these and many other points have been con- 

 sidered and duly registered, all is prepared for the final selec- 

 tion. Here the main point is that the rows should be con- 

 sidered as individual families and that the best rows must be 

 chosen. No individual excellence of single plants has any 

 hereditary significance if they are growing in rows of less 



