EARLY CULTURE OF CORN 81 



or to start a systematic selection in some recognized variety. 

 One of the earliest reports of the origin of a variety is 

 given by Mr. C. H. Heydrick, of Utica, Penn., in the Agri- 

 cultural Report of tlje Commissioner of Patents for 1853. 

 As most . early varieties were originated by some such 

 method, the quotation is here given : — 



"Witli regard to the changes which may be wrought in a 

 variety by cultivation, I cannot give a better illustration than 

 the history of the ' Vermont YeUow,' that I cultivated a few years 

 ago. Its characteristics were, a short stalk, slender above the 

 ear, strong below, ears small, with eight rows, thick at the butt 

 end, growing near the ground, and frequently having a stem two 

 feet in length. My plan of selecting seed from this variety was 

 to choose from such stalks as produced two or more ears, reject- 

 ing those with large butt ends, and such as were not set close to 

 the stalk. Such seed was hard to find the first year. The second 

 year nearly one-half of the stalks produced two ears, and there 

 were fewer long stems and large butt ends. A milder climate 

 had also produced another change. Many ears appeared with 

 ten or twelve rows. This induced me to improve the size of 

 the corn and accordingly I selected as before, adding such ears 

 as contained more than eight rows, together with a few ears 

 of a larger sort. Continuing this system for a few years I ob- 

 tained a variety characterized by the following marks : stalks 

 light, seldom exceeding six feet in height ; strong below the ears, 

 slender above ; ears containing from ten to fourteen rows, and 

 from two to three ears to a stalk, more frequently than a less num- 

 ber. From these facts it will be seen that a mixed variety may 

 be produced, possessing all the desirable qualities of several 

 old ones. But such a new variety will require attention a few 

 years, to prevent it from degenerating into one of the original 

 sorts, after which, I think, the variety will become as permanent 

 as any other." 



Many of the early corn breeders used the above method 

 of selecting out some type from an old variety. It is 

 probable, however, that many of the variations found 

 a 



