i;xpe;rimi;nts in breeding sweet corn. 289 



have been discouraged from giving the seed further trial in con- 

 sequence of bad results not entirely, at least, the fault of the 

 seed itself. 



2. As was to be anticipated there was a wide variation in the 

 outcome of the tests. In a few cases the plot from the selected 

 seed was practically a total failure, not producing ears worth 

 hauling to factory. In every such case of complete failure the 

 fault was not with the seed, but with various other factors. 

 The corn came up well, but was injured during the growing 

 season. In one case the corn was nearly all killed by the 

 drought and an exceptionally early frost accounted for the 

 remainder. In two cases the corn was planted on such ex- 

 tremely poor soil, not properly fertilized or cultivated, that it 

 could not make a satisfactory growth. At the other extreme 

 were cases in which the corn was highly satisfactory in respect 

 to all characters including earliness, yield and canning quality. 

 Between these two extremes were all gradations. 



3. There was practically entire uniformity in all reports 

 that the seed of Type I which was distributed produced a corn 

 of fine quality for canning purposes. That is to say, this 

 selected seed produced ears of clear white color, good shape and 

 size, and with small, deep and well packed kernels in nearly all 

 the different environments in which it produced any crop at all. 

 The uniformity of the reports in regard to this point is in strik- 

 ing contrast to the reports respecting the relative earliness of 

 the corn. 



4. In regard to relative earliness, there were great dift'er- 

 ences in different localities. In some cases the selected seed 

 gave plots two weeks later than factory seed in the same locality. 

 In other cases the selected seed was nearly, if not quite, as far 

 ahead of factory seed. As has already been mentioned, Mr, 

 Heath's plot at Farmington was very early. In a final report 

 on his corn Mr. Briggs at Canton says regarding the earliness of 

 his plot: "We judged it to be about one week earlier than the 

 other (i. e. factory) seed." Mr. Doughty at West Poland found 

 the selected seed earlier than the factory seed. In most cases 

 the reports from the growers and our own observations show 

 that the corn from selected seed was about the same as the fac- 

 tory seed in respect to earliness. The essential point appears 

 to us to be that there is a oreat deal of variation in rec'ard to the 



