The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1911-02-14
WORK FOR CORN BREEDERS
How TO Select Seed and Cultivate the Plants From the Beginning
Refer Corn and More Bushels Per Acre Should De the
Watchword of Every Farmer
Bv Prof. A. 7. Wiancke

ing work upon a small scale. | would
emphsize this because you can give
q small plat more attention and it IS
better 10 make a big Improvement IN
a small lot of corr han q small I'M
provement in a large lot. a small plat
planted with the few very best ears
will produce enough TO provide a n
quality Of seed corn for the general
crop the following season.
To begin with. you should secure a
few good ears Of the very best variety
for your conditions. If You have not
already got it, it may be advisable to
conduct a small variety test OF those
varieties which appear to suit yoaf
conditions. In this preliminary WORK
the varieties should b e pla~netdsiorkc
the varitiees should be planted and
a careful study of each made.
Having selected the variety with
which you wish to begin. give up All
others and keep the variety pure ny
careful selection and p the
breeding plant isolated so that pollen
from other fields cannot reach it. You
can always find q spot upon the farm
where a small plat can be isolated.
There are just as good reasons 10Y
keeping a variety OF corn pure as
81 there are for keeping Il breed of i've
stock pure.
For the breeding plat We should
always select a good, clean piece OF
ground, where the corn can be gwen
the very best attention. Eont be
afraid of spending too much time on
this small plat. If you use the pro
duct as seed for the next years field
crop. you will be many times repald
for the extra trouble. Always select
the Very best ears from the breeding
plat for planting in a similar plat next
year.
Plant each two ears n alternate
rows and detassel all the ears Of one
Of the rows. to prevent ln~-bTeedlng,
and select seed for next years plat
from the detasseled rows.
All breeding should be towards .
single. definite type: In carrying out
this we mnst keep in mind the size,
form and color of the ear; the form.
depth, shape, roughness and hardi-
ness Of the kernel; the covering Of
butts and tips; the time Of maturity
etc. The character and size Of the
stalk and the root and leaf develop
ment as Well as the position and char
acter Of the stalk must also be kep1
in mind. A good. vigorous stalk may
make the difference between a good
and poor crop, especially when sea-
sons are u~nfaVorable.
Productiveness must, Of course. al
ways be a leading interest and all
larren and weak stalks should be
destroyed before they hed pollen. The
careful corn breeder should be per-
sonally acquainted with each and
every stalk in the breed plat and a
record of tn. pediSrees of each
selcetde for..6.. 6 6 SO. ..6..6 -.
selected tnr seed in the breed Mat
should be kept.
In regard TO special purpose breed
ing. such as breeding for protein
starch or fat contents Of the kernel
every farmer may do something along
n or other of these lines and for
most farmers breeding for protein.
which gives the corn a higher feeding
value. Will be most interesting. The
methods which the farmer can ernplov
are based upon the relative D
lions OF the three principal parts Of
StarchN and the hard, horny portions.
aud 10y careful examination OF these
much can be done without a chemical
analysis.
All the kernels Of an ear Of corn are
approximately OF the same comnosi-
tloh. but different ears vary consider
"bIE. In making examinations pick
cut Il few kernels and by cutting tha,a
l u SID - kNiIFh- STfidy
tht felatlNe proportions of the three
P~aFlS,-bearlng in mind that the germ
ana the hard, horny portions OF The
kernel contain the most of the protein
ana the White, starchy portion the
ledSl. me germ contains most oftha
"lI. the hard. horney portion comes
next and the white. starchy portions
contains Very little oil. The white
StarchE portion consists almost on
utelN of starch. horney norton cona,
next, While the germ contains cor,
parauNely little starch.
The Would-be corn hrao3nr -t
make up his mind to give the worls
me most careful and persistent at
'enuon ana if he does so his effo~t,
nlI surely lac rowne with success
rhot7a tprh ana more bushels per acre
hould be the watchword.
Nttorolns TO Mr. Frank G.. Carpan-
Iti the noted traveller farms -.