Milford chronicle., 1909-11-12

as that which the main field receives.
The time for special treatment
comes when the tassels begin to APP
pear. We have already learned that
inbreeding is weakening and that
cross fertiliza ton develops strength
and vitality. In order to prevent in
breeding in the individual ear plot
the tassels on every alternate row
should be pulled out as soon as they
appear In order that these may be
removed before they shed any pollen
1t will be necessary to go over the
field every other day for a week after
the first tasscls start At the same
time any tassclS 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 a much
better chance of producing large
yields when planted than would ears
picked from the general field.
The most important point. however,
is the sele .tion of high yielding
strains that is made possible by hay
ing the ears planted in Individual
rows. When harvesting time comes
the produce of each row should be
husked separately and weighed. 1t
viii be found that there is great
difference in Weld 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 detas-
seled rows should be planted in q
small field known as the multiplying
plot" The best OF the seed from this /
plot can be used to plant /
the general feds and for sale.
BY continuing this breeding process I
from year to year a strain Of corn |
may be built up that viii far outyield /
the ordinary corn Of the neighborhood. |
In addition to the Increase in yield /
which will result on your own farm,
trade in seed corn may be built up
that will add materially to the years
profits There are many variations in
The plan of breeding here outlined, but
he essential point in all Of them is to
select the best yielding individual
ears and to prevent cross pollinatiOn
IS much as possible.
After the seed corn has been picked
t should be stored in such a manner
hat it will pass through the winter
lnlnjured. The hints in regard to seed
forage as given in article No. 6 should
,e followed.
Some time toward the close Of win
er the corn should be tested. For a
test a hundred kernels
nay be taken from as many ears in
lfferent parts Of the room. If the
orn has exceptionally strong vitality
he kernels may all terminate In
ase some Of the kernels fail to grow
r any considerable number show
-eak sprouts each ear should be test
d separately in order that the weak
nes mag be discarded. The method
( MAKING This test has been described
D many times in agricultural papers
nd bulletins that 1t will be unneces-
airy to give it in detail here. It sim
" consists in placing several kernels
-Om each ear in a corresponding
luare in the terminating box. In this
-ay the vitality Of each ear may be
sadily determined.
Shortly before planting time the
lrs should be shelled and run through
seed corn grader to take out the butt
nd tip kernels and divide the rest
ito even grades. The next step is to
ock up the planter and run through /
sample Of each grade. changing
ates until a set is found that will s
'Op the required number Of kernels 5
every time. If this is done
nd well tested seed used a good I
and will almost certainly result. c
Avoid too deep planting. All that is v
,cessary is TO have the seed well COW S
ed with moist soil If this can be T
me without putting it down more