SKED IMPROVEMENT MEETING. 247" 



corn may be almost entirely killed if it is exposed by storing 

 in a place where there is considerable moisture, because mould 

 can grow there. Prof. Holton, perhaps one of the greatest 

 corn experts in America, at the Worcester Exposition made 

 this statement to me : "A man that will give the prize to a 

 sample of corn that is not mature does not know his business." 

 I thoroughly agree with him. Corn in December should be 

 perfectly solid. It should be dried out, if it was not perfectly 

 dry when put in, so that the kernels will be solid. 



The next point is the ear conformation, and first of all we 

 should consider the length. A while ago the aim would have 

 been to get the largest ear, but size and quality do not always 

 go together ; in fact, do not often go together. An ear should 

 be sufficiently long, but not too long. If it is too long the 

 tendency is towards immaturity. One reason for throwing out 

 the tips and butts is that there is more liability to be a lack of 

 vitality in the kernels, because they are poor in shape. Like 

 does not always produce like, but it tends to produce like. If 

 you choose ears for seed that are the proper length you will 

 stand a better chance of raising those that are the proper 

 length. We are living in a State where the growing season 

 for corn is about lOO to no days in length, speaking for the 

 State generally. In the southern- part it is longer and in the 

 northern part shorter. With sufficient length of ear there should 

 also be sufficient diameter. The rule with most of the dent 

 corn is that the circumference should be about one-half the total 

 length. This will be governed by variety to quite an extent. 

 There should be a regular development from base to tip. We 

 look for regularity of development. With all we should have 

 straightness of rows. Here is a matter which introduces a 

 lot of discussion. Why isn't corn grown in mixed rows just 

 as good as that which grows in straight rows? One of the 

 points that the breeders have established is that the rows should 

 be stratght. The kernels are apt to be more uniform. If you 

 shell an ear with uneven rows and try to plant the corn with 

 a mechanical planter, the kernels are not dropped as evenly. 



The next point is the space between the rows. This should 

 be closely filled. If there is a large space you will be harvest- 

 ing- a lot of air where you should have harvested a lot of corn. 



The last point I wish to take up is the kernel conformation. 

 The following are the general principles of kernel conformation 



