CHAPTER XXII. 



CORN BREEDING 



MECHANICAL METHODS OF SELECTING SEED CORN 

 FOR IMPROVED CHEMICAL COMPOSITION 



With care, corn growers or farmers can learn to pick out protein 

 seed corn by dissecting and examining a few kernels from each ear 

 by means of a pocket knife, selecting for high protein seed the ears 

 whose kernels show a large proportion of horny parts. High protein 

 kernels contain much horny part, with little white starch, while with 

 low protein kernels the reverse is true. 



This method is already used by practical corn breeders and with 

 a very satisfactory degree of success. For example, in selecting seed 

 corn by this method, Mr. Ralph Allen, of Tazewell County, Illinois, 

 obtained seed ears for the year 1902, which were 1.46 per cent higher 

 in protein than the rejected ears from the same lot, and for the season 

 1903, his selected seed ears contained 1.58 per cent protein more than 

 the ears which he rejected. 



The method proposed some years ago by Professor Willard, chem- 

 ist of the Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station, of picking out 

 high protein seed by simply selecting for large germs, enabled one, 

 as a rule, to make some gain in protein ; but the gain is very much 

 greater when the proportion of horny part is considered. In fact, from 

 experience at the Illinois Station, it was found that the selection for a 

 large portion of horny part is of very much more trustworthy index 

 of high protein than is the size of the germ. Corn is often found with 

 large germs which is actually low in protein because of a small per- 

 centage of protein in the remainder of the kernel. The fact that only 

 20 per cent of the total protein of the kernel is obtained in the germ is 

 evidence of the uncertainty of obtaining high protein seed corn and 

 of the improbability of making any very considerable gain in protein 

 by this method of selection. This difficulty was well understood by 

 Professor Willard, as will be seen in the following quotation from 

 the Kansas Experiment Station Bulletin No. 197, Page 63. 



"There are undoubtedly great differences in the protein content of 

 the part of the kernel, exclusive of the germ, and it is conceivable and 



