200 



FIELD CROPS FOR THE COTTON-BELT 



corn should not only maintain its excellence, but should 

 improve rapidly from year to year. 



245. Breeding for high and low ears (Fig, 38). — In 

 1902 the Illinois Experiment Station began selecting two 

 strains of Leaming corn, one with ears borne high on the 

 stalk and the other with ears borne low. After six years of 

 pedigree breeding, the basis of selection being the height 

 of the ear, the following results were obtained : 



Table 11. Showing Averages of Crops Peoduced in Corn 

 Breeding, fob High Ears and fob Low Ears ' 



246. Breeding for composition. — In 1896, Hopkins, 

 of the University of IlUnois, began the breeding of corn 

 with the idea of changing its chemical content. Seed of 

 White Illinois corn was selected for four different purposes: 

 high and low protein content and high and low oil content. 

 These different strains were selected by a mechanical 

 examination of the ears. This method is based upon the 

 fact that the kernel of corn consists of several distinct, 

 easily recognized parts of guite different chemical com- 

 position. These are (1) the horny endosperm in which the 

 protein is mainly produced, (2) the starchy endosperm 

 1 lU. Agr. Exp. Sta., Bui. 132, 1909. 



