254 NATURE STUDY AND AGRICULTURE 



6. Plant one stalk of corn alone in the middle of the 

 garden in which no other corn is grown. 



7. Plant two hills of white corn and two of yellow side 

 by side. 



8. Cover half a dozen ears with paper bags just at the 

 time the silk begins to grow, (a) Pollinate four ears by 

 hand, using pollen from same stalk ; then cover with bags to 

 keep other pollen from falling on silks. To do this collect 

 some pollen in a saucer and gently rub the silk in this, (b) 

 Perform the same experiment with four other ears, but 

 use pollen from other stalks, thus cross pollinating them. 

 Detassel these stalks to make sure that there will be no 

 self-pollination. Compare results of (a) and (b). 



9. Plant four hills forty-four inches apart with five 

 grains in each, four hills with four grains, and four with 

 three grains. Compare numbers of good ears produced in 

 each lot. Compare weight of corn raised in each lot. 



10. Keep a record of the time of planting, time of 

 blossoming, time of maturing. Note effect of dry weather 

 on corn; of wet weather. Keep a list of insects you may 

 find on your corn plants. 



Farmers' Bulletin: The Germination 0} Seed Corn, 

 No. 253. 



