58 THE BOOK OF CORN 



carding the poor ears that a general advance can 

 be made. 



The stock seed is the corn one generation removed 

 from the highly-bred seed. The corn breeder will con- 

 centrate his main effort in the production of highly- 

 bred seed. From this seed any quantity of stock seed 

 may be grown and sold to the farmers. This seed pos- 

 sesses all the good points of the highly-bred seed, and 

 differs only in the fact that individual selection by the 

 corn breeder has ceased. This kind of seed can be 

 produced in large quantities and can be sold at a mod- 

 erate price. 



The selection of the variety is the first important 

 point in breeding seed corn. The variety must be 

 adapted to the conditions of soil and climate in which 

 it is to be grown. Of course, by reason of the great 

 variation in corn, varieties suited to almost any condi- 

 tions may be chosen, but in order to save time, it is 

 wise to begin with a variety already adapted to the 

 conditions. It takes considerable time to effect any 

 change, consequently a variety which has been thor- 

 oughly tested should be selected. There will be ample 

 opportunity to make any desired changes, and by tak- 

 ing advantage of the previous breeder's effort, much 

 time may be saved. If a mongrel or impoverished 

 strain be selected, it will require years of the most 

 careful work to get the variety ready for definite 

 improvement. In other words, it will require years tj 

 eliminate unfavorable characteristics. For the same 

 reason it is not wise to select a variety the result of a 

 recent cross. There is already so much variation in 

 corn that it is not desirable to begin with a corn which 

 has the characteristics thrown together in confusion. 

 It is better to select one with the characteristics sorted 

 out, then give them definite direction by selection. 



