The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1913-08-15
G0lD EH1H5 OYLAG7 SILK Hi
hHREE szXLR5 III Z4CH KZEL

sufficient stamina in all the seeas u
reproduce like the parent. The corn
reverted not only to the one-eared Dut
to the eight-rowed type.
This is one of the mysteries that
will have to be solved, no doubt be-
fore a highly-productive two-eared
type of corn can be raised with the
qualities of the parent SO fixed that
1t can be relied upon to maintain a
big average yield. 1t may 0be due to
weakness of inbreeding.
Some of the ears weighed over
pound each, making over two pounds
to the stalk. If this could be aver
aged for an entire corn field 1t would
yield over ten tons to the acre.
Such may seem an exaggeration or
an impossibility, but 1t so only In
comparison with what we have been
accustomed to. Even If by judicious
selection of two-eared seed each
year still the type could not be fixed
SO as to produce even yields OF the
maximum amount, yet If it gave an
increase of 20 per cent. as it did In
my experiment, the return would be
a big one for what is involved. It
does not imply added cost, in the pro-
duction, but only greater care and
interest in ones work.
Another thing to be kept in mind
in breeding, up type of corn for high
: er productiveness is that the number
of kernels to the ear and their size
has an important bearing on the yield
of grain.
} A corn expert once figured out that
if the productiveness Of corn could
be increased by only one kernel te
each ear, on the entire crop it woult
mean a gain of so tons Of grain!
]. Even though the figures be not abso
r lutte there is no gainsaying that thu
3 increase of yield would be very BIZ
8 amount in the aggregate. The poin
4 is made very clearly In the accom-
9 panying photographs which SHOW
0 eight, ten and twelve.rowed ears o
n corn. Each ear was exactly the SAM
0 in weight, being ii ounces each. TIL
; eightrowed ear gave seven ounces o
s grain, and had a cob weighing fou
ounces, the ten-rowed ear weighed u
d eight ounces of grain and had
a three ounce cob. The twelve-rowe
8 ear gave Sh ounces Of grain. A di
e ference of an ounce and half to tn
b ear Of actual grain Is an appreciate
d gain worth striving for. But tina
a does not mean that such is the linn
y Of the gain to be obtained. It woul
be quite within reason to obtain tel
ID fold that increase.
le The chief requisite to substanti;
e, progress in the growing of nor
y productive corn must be the skill an
le judgment Of the worker. The fir.
ty essential Is no doubt seed selection
but this does not merely mean tn
Is. picking out Of the best looking cal
ly either at harvest time or in the hus
ne Ing. 1t Is necessary that the grove
H. shall watch the corn from the fir
III start of the seed and through Il
SO growing.
ut Vigor, productiveness and ear
ripening should be noted, not mere
ne In the mind, but In book, and Il
to stalks should be marked 80 that thu
ct can be identified at any time. N
of method is to snip out little bits
he tin; punch hole through them
Ds. one side and put bit of thin wi
IN through and twist this loosely abo
II the stalk when marking 1t. On t
.ly tin scratch a number with a sha
us awl. There Is not likely to occ
,rt any accident that can destroy ii
lot tag or erase the figures.