THE SEED : ITS SELECTION AND DISTRIBUTION 55 



far north of where it could have been grown even twenty- 

 five years ago. 



(7) A stalk, bearing an ear whose tip is unexposed to the 

 weather. 



(7) A stalk, the tip of whose ear is exposed to the 

 weather. 



If the tip protrudes from among the husks, some kernels 

 are invariably damaged by the elements, smut, insects, 

 birds or otherwise. If such ears are used for seed, simi- 

 larly damaged corn may be expected in the resulting crop. 



(8) A barren stalk ; i.e., one bearing no ear. 



Barren stalks are found in every field. They occupy 

 space and receive care and attention without yielding 

 any return. Since they bear no ears, many people sup- 

 pose that they can not reproduce themselves. This is only 

 half true. The pollen from their tassels, which are really 

 the male flowers, falls upon the silks of near-by stalks, 

 fertilizing the kernels, which are a part of the female flowers. 

 Thus ears are formed containing the " blood " of the barren 

 plant; and if kernels from these ears are later used for 

 seed, they will have a tendency to produce barren plants. 

 Therefore in selecting seed ears in the field, the careful 

 grower rejects those found near a barren stalk. 



(9) A stalk from whose base a sucker has grown. 

 A sucker is a stem, which branches from the main 



stem of the plant near or below the surface of the ground. 

 It usually draws its nourishment from the plant which 

 bears it. As a rule, it bears no ear, or a mere nubbin, 

 while by draining the plant of nourishment, it weakens 

 the latter, reducing its productive power. Hence stalks 

 bearing suckers are considered undesirable. Many of the 

 best growers will not select a seed ear from such a plant ; 

 nor will they choose an ear from any plant standing near 

 it, upon which its pollen might have fallen. 



