HOME PROJECTS 39 



Discard 50 ears that are inferior and fire-dry the remainder 

 for seed. After fire-drying make germination test and discard 

 50 more ears if necessary that are not strong and vigorous in 

 germination. Save at least 100 ears for u ear-to-the-row " test 

 the following spring. 



2. In early spring begin work on corn improvement by the 

 ear-to-the-row method. Shell off butts and tips and save the 



Fig. 21. Results of the ear-to-the-row method of corn breeding. Yields of good 

 seed corn from rows planted with seed from different ears. Crate on left has 19 

 pounds of seed corn ; crate on right has 62 pounds of seed corn. 



corn on the middle portion of the ears for planting. Select a 

 field where the soil conditions and rotation of crops are uniform. 

 Place hills 3^ feet apart each way. Have the same number of 

 hills in each row and place 3. kernels in each hill. Use only 

 about two thirds of the kernels on each ear. After ripening, 

 harvest each row separately and divide into seed ears, crib 

 corn, and nubbins. 



Save the seed corn for field work from those rows that through- 

 out the growing period showed uniformity of plant growth and 

 that gave the largest amount of good quality of seed ears. 

 The seed from three or four of the best rows in the hundred-row 

 test should be saved for seed. 



