236 ILLINOIS DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION. 



breeding plots in Illinois, and it is now being grown in two or three other 

 states, and every ear which is grown this year in any of those breeding 

 plots has an established and recorded pedigree for seven generations. For 

 example, each of the ears of corn which was grown the past season in our 

 high protein breeding plot has a recorded pedigree showing the protein 

 content of its dam, of it grand dam, of its great grand dam, of its great, 

 great grand dam, of its great, great, great grand dam, and its great, great, 

 great, great grand dam. 



In conclusion let me say that, to the practical corn breeder, I would 

 urge only three things: 



First: Adopt the row system, plant 20 to 40 good seed ears, one ear 

 to a row; then select your seed for the next year, on the basis of perfor- 

 mance record, from about 10 rows which product the highest yield and the 

 best ears. 



Second: Breed corn for a purpose. If you wish to feed corn, breed 

 and grow high protein corn. If you wish to grow corn for the starch and 

 glucose factories, breed and grow corn the factory wants. 



Third: Until we have facts, don't devote too much time to "fancy 

 points," such as trying to produce kernels on the tip end of the cob, or 

 trying to reduce the size of the cob, or trying to make the tip end of the 

 ear as large as the butt, or pulling out suckers, or doing other things the 

 ultimate effect of which is unknown. It is not yet known with any degree 

 of certainty whether such things are beneficial, injurious, or without effect, 

 on the production of the crop. 



• And don't feel that you can't breed corn even if you are unable to 

 detassel barren stalks. Last year we had fields with 50 per cent of bar- 

 ren stalks, — this year in some fields from that seed we have about five- 

 tenths of one per cent of barren stalks, and these examples fairly illus- 

 trate the tremenduous effect of soil and season and condition of growth, 

 as compared with breeding, upon the production of barren stalks. Barren 

 stalks bear no ears, and the whole tendency of Nature's law is to breed 

 them out, and even without the intervention of man. As a matter of 

 fact, in order to give to barren stalks an equal chance with ear-bearing 

 plants to propagate themselves, we should be obliged to detassel every 

 ear-bearing plant in the field, In studying this problem it should be 



