THE “EAR TO THE ROW” BREEDING PLOT 109 
Tasseling time usually comes at a very busy season of 
the year, which makes it necessary to get the work done 
quickly as well as thoroughly. This work can be done easily 
by going between the rows astride a horse muzzled to prevent 
destroying the corn. The tassels should be pulled, never cut. 
The field should be gone over the first time when about two- 
thirds of the tassels are just beginning to show. A second 
going over a week later will get practically all of the re- 
mainder, providing the work is carefully done. About two 
weeks after the detasseling, the plot should be gone through 
and all suckers and barren stalks removed. If there are 
many suckers the breeder will be well repaid for this work 
by the increase in yield. 
MaxInNG OBSERVATIONS 
The best time for the breeder to make observations for 
maturity, soundness and position of ear on the stalk, is when 
the earliest rows have just matured. The beginner in corn 
breeding will be surprised to notice that the husks in some 
rows will be brown and dry, while on other rows they will 
be quite green. 
‘When it comes to deciding what rows to reserve, your 
opinion should be guided largely, but not altogether, by the 
weight of corn in the individual rows. If the scales alone 
were to make the decision, they would very likely indicate 
that we should keep one of the latest maturing rows, since 
they are often the highest yielders. To decide by weight 
alone would be a very serious mistake. It is not necessary 
to husk out and weigh separately every detasseled row in 
the breeding plot. The rows that promise apparent quality 
should be weighed out, and only those kept for seed that 
show a yield above the average. 
