Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1910-12-14
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!. CLEMSON EXTENSION WORK !.
Il. Article xxVIu. y.

H# y
The proper observance Of q few
important factors relating to the
breeding Of corn will result in secur-
Ing increased yields of a better grade
OF corn than the original seed. This
grain can he easily secured IL one
will devotc little time and patience
IN making the proper start in the
right direction.
The first thing to be done In the
breeding Of corn Is to go through a
field before the crop has been gath
efed and select about one hundred
OF the best formed ears that point
downward from the most vigorous
looking stalks, but in order that any
future increase In yield may be
brought about by these selected ears.
they should be taken from stalks
which have not been favored by fer
tile sopts In the field or had more
distance In the drill from which to
draw an extra supply Of plant food.
After having made the above selec-
ton the ears should be "shucked'
and placed on a large box or table
In order that each Individual ear
may be carefully examined
In making this examination one
should consider the following points:
/. All the ears which are to he
planted In the breeding patch should
be as much alike in every respect as
possible, thus securing uniformity.
z. All ears should be as near a
I cylindrical shape as possible, as
cylindrical shaped ear will carry q
higher percentage of grain than a
tapering one.
3. All white varieties should have
white kernels and white cobs unless
red-cob variety, then all cobs
should be red. Yellow kernels and
red cobs in white corn indicate mix
ture.
4. The tips and butts should he
well covered with uniform and we'll
shaped kernels.
D. The kernels on all parts Of the
ear should be as near alike in shape,
size and color as possible, as the
shape and size determine, in a large
measure, the regularity with which
corn planter will drop them.
e. The length for single ear vari-
eties should not be less than eight
inches, with circumference about
six inches measured one-third the
distance from butt.
Having selected about fifty ears
according to the above directions
from the one hundred first gathered
they SHOULD be stored away until
near a&nting time in some dry place
, ,whtdnS Eevils eC mice will not af
rect them Then they should be
placed on plank or large box and
numbered ,consecutively from 1 to
30 In order that they may be tested
FOR termination or ability to sprout.
Ihls test is made as follows: FIJI a
soap or starch box with wet sawdust,
placing on top of the sawdust a wet
hour or meal sack which has been
laid Off In pencil squares 2x2 inches.
The squares should then be number
=" i'ohi " ~. lHeH take ear NO.
l and remove six kernels from It
taking the first kernel about one inch
from the butt, slightly turn ear In
the hand and remove kernel about
one and half inches from the place
where the first one was removed.
Continue this slight turning of the
ear and removal of kernels until the
SIX are secured. Having removed
the Kernels, place them germ side
up In square No. I, all tips pointing
In the same direction. Continue to
remove kernels from the indivjdaul
ears, placing them in the square cor
responding to the number of the ear
from which they were removed,
Then cover them with a wet sack and
place the box in the kitchen and al
low 1t to remain there week, wet
tlng 1t twice during that length of
time. After the test has been run
ning about a week remove the top
sack and examine each square con-
tanning the kernels. The number of
these squares which do not contain
six large sprouts should be ascer-
tanned and the ear corresponding to
the number of that particular square
should be discarded, as all Of the
Kernels on 1T will not grow.
Having decided which ears are to
be retained, each should be planted
on separate row. 1t Is not neces-
sary that the entire ear be planted,
but precautions must be taken so