Seeds for the Garden 125 
the seeds in the ears of all the Evergreen corn will be 
black. Or the cross can be made by removing the tassels 
of the Black Mexican and allowing the pollen from the 
Evergreen to fall on the pistils of the Mexican. 
Another way is to do the crossing by hand. Stalks 
bearing two ears may be selected. One ear is used for 
crossing and the other as a ‘‘ check ”’ to compare with the 
hybrids produced. Each ear is properly “ bagged,” 
and as the pistils and pollen mature, the bags are 
removed, the pollinations made, and the bags replaced. 
The exact method of doing all this is best learned by 
experiment (page 143). 
When the plants (first-generation hybrids) are grown 
from these seeds, self-pollinations of these may be made. 
Later generations may be grown from both white and 
black kernels to determine which breed true. As a rule, 
it is necessary to cross-pollinate in breeding corn, because 
the pollen produced by the tassel usually matures before 
the silk on the same plant is ready to receive it. Self-_ 
pollination is easier in the tomato, and in the different 
varieties of pumpkins, which include the summer 
squashes. . 
Fic. 76. An ear of a white variety of sweet corn that grew near a row of Black 
Mexican corn. Can you explain why some of the grains are white and some are 
black? * 
