70 Nebraska Agricultural Exp. Station Research Bul. 10 
seasons they fail to mature, and too frequently produce an 
inferior quality of corn together with a low yield of grain 
tier acre. 
SELECTION FOR EARLINESS 
Wherever varieties of too late maturity are being grown, 
this may be overcome in several ways: (1) Securing seed of 
some earlier type. This may originate in the same locality or 
be of some previously tried variety obtained from a distance. 
Before a new corn is extensively substituted for an old one, 
definite knowledge should be had regarding its local adaptation. 
(2) Field selection of seed from the earlier maturing plants 
before autumn frosts, while such difference i> readily discernible. 
(3) Selection of the drier and more mature ears later in the 
season. To a considerable extent, such ears are more mature 
because of inherent relative earliness. Corn may be made to 
average a week or ten days earlier in maturity in a very few 
years by such selection. It is probable that most of the corn 
grown in Nebraska could be made a week earlier without reduc- 
ing the average yield, and the quality would be improved. 
A rather arbitrary ideal of deep rough grain is held by 
many corn growers. This quality is usually associated with 
late maturity and also high shelling percentage. A mistaken 
conception prevails that high shelling percentage means high 
acre yield. To the contrary, corn with a rather medium depth 
kernel yields fully as much grain per acre, ripens somewhat 
earlier, is often of much better quality and frequently possesses 
stronger viability. 
ALTERNATIVES IN SEED SELECTION 
(1) Special, early field selection, before any likelihood of 
frost, may be practiced regularly each year. When such corn 
is stored and cured in a dry, well-ventilated place, good ger- 
mination without further trouble is reasonably certain. This 
procedure, systematically insures sound seed corn. An essential 
requirement in this practice is to avoid immediate contact be- 
tween the different ears so long as they are not well dried out. 
Thus mould and decay will be prevented. By going thru the 
field with a sack hung over the shoulder, or other simple device, 
the best developed and most matured ears may be readily 
gathered. Seed selected in the still dough stage i> suffieintlv 
mature to produce strong, vigorous plants. However, more 
mature seed is more ersily preserved. 
(2) Selecting seed late in September or early in October, 
while husking corn in the regular way for early hog feed, is a safe 
