Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1909-03-03
Home Course I'm
Modern Agriculture
VIHE.-Coxn Growing
By c. v. GREGORY.
ASrfcuTfarcI ofvfSfoG. Stare College
VIII. Growing
By C. v. GREGORY.
Agricultural oi0fSfon. IoeOa STARE College
Copyright. 1902 by American Prss.A Association

0s that which che main Held receives.
The time for special treatment
comes when the taSSeiS iegn "a APP
pear We have already learned that
inbrecding is weakcaCT and that
cross fertilization develops strength
and vitality. In order 10 prevent in
breeding IN the individual ear plot
the tasSels on every alternate row
should be pulled our as soon as they
appear. In order that these may be
removed before they shed any pollen
it will be necessary TO go over the
field every other day for week after
the first tasSelS start. At the same
time any taSSels from weak. barren or
spindling stalks In the other rows
should be removed. In this way only
pollen from healthy. vigorous stalks
is allowed TO mature. Thus the ears
on the detasseled rows. being cross
fortified and having only strong.
healthy male parents. have much
better chance OF producing large
yields when planted than would ears
picked from the general field.
The most important point however.
is the selection of high yielding
strains that is made possible by hav-
ing the ears planted In individual
rows. When harvesting time comes
the produce OF each row should be
husked separately and weighed II
will be found that there is great
difference i'm yield. The highest YIELD
ing rows. provided the corn IS Of
good quality. should furnish seed for
next years breeding plot The rest
OF the good seed ears from the dctas.
seled rows should be planted in 4
small field. known rs the multiplying
plot" The best OF the seed from this
multiplying plot can be used TO plant
the general fields and for sale
BY continuing this breeding process
from year TO yeSr strain Of corn
may be built up that viii far cutyield
the ordinary corn OF the rcighborEocd.
In addition TO the increase in yield
which will result on your own farm. Il
trade In seed corn may be built up
that Will add materially TO the years
profits. There are many variations I'm
the plan OF breeding here outlined. but
the essential point in all Of them Is to
select the best yielding irCivldual
ears and To prevent cross poi,lnation
as much as possible.
After the seed corn has been picked
It should b. stored in s;ch manner
that it viii pass through the winter
uninjured. The hints In regard To seed
storage MS given in article No. q should
be followed
Some time toward the close OF win
ter the corn should be tested Fer a
preliminary test hundred kernels
may be taken from as many ears I'm
different parts Of the room II the
corn has exceptionally strong vitality
the kernels may all terminate. In
case some Of the kernels fail Il grow
or any considerable number show
weak sprouts each ear should be test
ed separately in order that the weak
ones may be discarded. The met hod
OF making this test has been described
so many times In agricultural papers
and bulletins that IL will be unneces-
sary to give il in detail here. 1t sim
ply consists in placing several kernels
from each ear I'm corresponding
square In the terminating box. In this
way the vitality Of each car may he
readily determined.
shortly before planting time the
ears should be shelled and run through
n seed corn grader TO take out the butt
and tip kernels and divide the rest
into even grades The next step Is 10
block UP the planter and run through
q sample OF each grade. changing
plates until a set is found that will
drop the required number Of Kernels
practically every time II this is done
and well tested seed used a good
stand will almost certainly result
Avoid too deep planting Al that Is
necessary is 10 have the seed well coy
cred with moist soil. II this can be
done without putting It down more