CORN OR MAIZE 89 



until a row 50 hills long is planted from each ear that 

 is to be tested. A selection of 50 ears makes a con- 

 venient number for an ear-to-row test. Every tenth 

 row should be used as a check row. Ten ears may be 

 selected for this purpose. These same ten ears should be 

 used in planting all of the check rows, each ear planting 

 the same number of hills in each row. Check ear No. 1 



Fig. 26. — Remnants of an ear-to-row test. 



should be used in planting the first five hills in each check 

 row. Check ear No. 2 should be used for the second 

 five, check ear No. 3 for the third five, and so on until 

 the fifty hills in each are planted, five hills from each of 

 the ten ears. It is well to plant four or five kernels per hill 

 in order to insure a perfect stand. When the plants are 

 five or six inches high, each hill should be thinned down to 

 three plants. More reliable results are secured when the 



