. Agriculture for southern schools. all the others,and seed of this sport, or veiy unusual plant, may starta new and more valuable variety. Home-grown seed often the best. — If seed of corn grownfor many years in a colder coiintry is brought to theSouthern states and seed from this variety planted forseveral years in the South, each year the variety getslater and later and the stalks larger and larger. If early vegetables are desired, make them earlier bygetting seed grown far North where the plant has learnedto be in a hurry to get ripe in a short season. Field cornfrom north of the Ohio Rive
. Agriculture for southern schools. all the others,and seed of this sport, or veiy unusual plant, may starta new and more valuable variety. Home-grown seed often the best. — If seed of corn grownfor many years in a colder coiintry is brought to theSouthern states and seed from this variety planted forseveral years in the South, each year the variety getslater and later and the stalks larger and larger. If early vegetables are desired, make them earlier bygetting seed grown far North where the plant has learnedto be in a hurry to get ripe in a short season. Field cornfrom north of the Ohio River is earlier and smaller, and in 50 AGRICULTURE most parts of the South yields less, than our native , when the cotton-boll weevil invades any region,early varieties of cotton grown on the northern edge of thecotton belt ripen a considerable part of their crop beforethe weevils destroy the squares and blossoms. A change of seed should not be made unless there isgood reason for it or unless better seed can thus be ob-. FiG. 38. — Preparing Cotton Blooms for crossing On left, flower bud; in center, bud after removal of corolla, showing stamens; on right, pistil from around which stamens have been removed. tained. A crop suited to the South does not run outor grow worthless if properly managed. A plant usuallybecomes better fitted for its new home by being grownthere for a number of years. Seed grown from ourown field crops in nearly the same climate should bepreferred. Improvement by crossing plants. — Sometimes the plant-breeder must resort to crossing in order to unite in oneplant the good qualities of two different varieties. Sup-pose, for example, he wishes to improve a variety of cornthe ears of which are too small, by using the pollen from IMPROVEMENT OF PLANTS 51 a large-eared variety. Before the silk is seen on themother plant, he must tie a paper bag over the ear after the silks show, the plant-breeder carefullypulls a tassel from a plant of
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