224 ILLINOIS DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION. 



may have in his mind a perfect ear of corn and make the physical selection 

 of seed ears by simple inspection, or he may make absolute counts and 

 measurement and reduce the physical selection almost to an exact or 

 mathematical basis. 



In this connection let me suggest that there is some danger of corn 

 breeders making too much of what might be called fancy points in select- 

 ing seed ears. We should learn the facts which are facts and not base 

 our selections too much upon mere ideas and opinions. For example, it 

 is not known that ears whose tips are well filled and capped with kernels 

 are the best seed ears. Indeed it is not improbable that the selection of 

 such seed ears will cause the production of shorter ears and a reduced 

 yield per acre. It is true that the percentage of shelled corn from a given 

 ear is the greater, the greater the proportion of corn to the cob, but our 

 interest in that percentage is very slight compared to that of yield per 

 acre, and perhaps for the greatest possible yield of shelled corn per acre 

 it requires that the ears shall have good sized cobs. Possibly the corn 

 which shall ultimately surpass all. others for yield per acre will have tap- 

 ering and not cylindrical ears. These are some of the points regarding 

 which men have some ideas and opinions, but as yet we have no definite 

 facts, and we shall need several years more to obtain absolute knowledge 

 regarding some of these points. Let us base our selections of seed corn 

 first upon known facts and performance records, and secondly upon what 

 one may call his "type' of corn. 



Chemical Selection by Mechanical Examination. 



The selection of seed ears for improved chemical composition by 

 mechanical examination of the kernels is not only of much assistance to 

 the chemist in enabling him to reduce greatly the chemical work involved 

 in seed corn selection, but it is of the greatest practical value to the 

 ordinary seed corn grower who is trying to improve his seed corn with 

 very limited service, if any, from the analytical chemist. This chemical 

 selection of seed ears by mechanical examination, as well as by chemical 

 analysis (which is described below), is based upon two facts: 



