INHERITANCE—IMPROVEMENT BY BREEDING 135 



It appears also that, on fairly well-farmed land, losses may be chap. 

 equivalent to nearly 25 per cent of the stand. v - 



102. Importance of Increasing the Size of the Ears. — We 

 have seen that a stand of only 38-4 per cent of the possible, 

 would produce 7-31 muids per acre if the ears averaged 7 ozs. 

 in weight. 1 But' as this yield is about twice the estimated 



J\D 



C*> 



*> 



** t£L-v. 



Fig. 62. — "Nubbins " of Hickory King; one cause of poor yields; 4J inch 

 nubbins weighing 2J to 3 ozs. 



average for the Transvaal, we are forced to conclude, in the 

 absence of other likely reasons, that the low yields are due, 

 in part at least, to small ears, the average weight of grain 

 of which does not exceed 3^ ozs. per ear. In view of the 



] Only 7 ozs. is allowed in this case, since the yields were lighter than those 

 near Standerton. 



