The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1909-08-12

FIG. xI-oooD TYPE or KERNEL.
thing that must be done for every 10
cality. since corn shipped IN from any
| distance cannot be relied on II T.
entirely possible to increase the yield
| Ing ability OF strain OF corn ten
bushels to the acre or more by very
few years breeding Seed from such
an improved strain viii find a ready
market at satisfactory figures.
Selection Of Ears.
In starting out to improve a strain
Of corn there are two main points TO
be considered yield and quality The
quality can be determined readily by
inspecting the ears. In examining the
ears the following Ave points are to
be looked for; a. General appearance
The ear should be as large as Il can
be and still be sure TO get ripe every
year. II should be straight. symmet
rical and not taper too abruptly The
butts and tips should be fairly well
filed. though other more important
points should not be sacrificed for this
~ TrueDess to type. Every establish
ed breed Of corn has Its peculiarltles OF
shape. color ETC., that must be consld
cred The general type Of the breed
should be adhered to closely. as uni
formity is an indication OF breeding
o. Maturity No ear should be used
for seed that Is not sound aud well
matured Soft. chaffy. starchy ker
nels or those shrunken at the tip with
chaff adhering TO them. are indications
Of immaturity Deep kernels 20 with
late maturing corn Extreme depth
Of kernel cannot be expected In the
early varieties that must be grown In
the north u, Vitality. While all corn
should be tested before II Is planted |
yet there are many ears that can be
thrown out without the trouble OF test |
Ing. Immature ears are usually lack. |
Ing In vitality II the kernels are
blistered on the back or the embryo is |
dark or yelowish the chances are that
II will not grow q, Smelling percent
age. high percentage Of corn to cob
Ia desirable. but should be secured by
compact. fairly deep kernels rather
than by an abnormally small cob.
Increasing the Yield.
While quality Is important. yield Is
even more So This is not so easily
actual field tests being re.
quired Before starting these tests
the breed Of corn to be grown should
be selected II pays to begin work
with the best corn obtainnble as you
are thus starting where some one else
has left OF. A breed OF corn that has
proved itself adapted to your locality
Is the best to select
There are almost MS many methods
of breeding seed corn as there are corn
breeders. Many OF these are too com.
plicated TO be adapted to the farmer
who IL Just starting In az corn
breeder. After few yenrs' expert
snce with simpler method. some OF
he plans for keeping record Of each
'ar from year 20 year and producing
'pedigreed" seed corn may DO EN-
,loyed
The breeding plot should be 800 10
100 feet Iong-just long enough 80 that
takes an enr 10 plant row II
hould be wide enough for about ffty
4 these rows The soil and drainage
oDditions of the plot should be us
early uniform as possible II should
% located twenty to forty rods from
ny other corn, no that there VIII be
o danger of mixing Fifty of the best
ars OF the desired strain should be-
elected and shelled separately. Each
I the rows In the breeding plot IL 10
Q planted with one Of these ears. The
Tork .cnn be done with planter n u
are Ia taken to clean out the bores 9
thoroughly each time scrosa II q
etter to drill the corn 10 the breed. z
az plot since II IN TOO narrow 10 cul -
vate 10 advantage crosswise Two :
Z three border rows should be planted "
round the edges of the plot. 4
Care Of the Breeding Plot y
The breeding plot should not be fer !
I;zei any better than any of the 9th =
: 6elds on the farm. and the prepars !
on Of the seed bed aDd cultivation I.
bould be the same. The prime Oh =
ut N 10 develop strain Of cofn that y
III yield well under average beld con '
Itions. The extra work that Ia put on
,e breeding plot should he applied %
,e corn itself and not 10 the soil
bout the time cultivation ceases all =
,ckers should be Gu, on. This can De .
gickly done With straight bladed :
,rn knife These suckers take nour o
hment needes1 By ths good stalks
ID produce Inferior pollen 70 fertiIizs =
le silks
The u0st imuurtanf paft Of the WORK