Organized agricultural work was begun, September 1, 1912, in Clinton County, Iowa, in co-operation with the Agricultural Committee of the Clinton Commercial Club, (Later the Farm Improvement Association of Clinton County, Iowa,) the Iowa State College of Agriculture and the United States Department of Agriculture under immediate supervision of an employed County Agent. A definite plan for the finding, developing and distribution of a good type of corn for Clinton County conditions was determined upon.

This plan was based on three conditions as follows, the statements of which are based on many years of experimentation and observation.

First: Home grown seed corn is better than that brought in from a distance.

Second: In every community where corn is a main crop, some man is using seed which is capable of producing several bushels more corn per acre of as good or better quality than the average seed used in that community.

Third: Among the seed ears ordinarily selected by one man are some which are capable of producing several bushels per acre more corn of as good or better quality than the average of all the ears.