cokN- growers' association. 609 



The weeds must be kept out at any cost, and if they have not been 

 removed before the crop appears, they must be destroyed. The kind of 

 cultivation vv^ill depend upon the local condition, but the implement that 

 stirs the soil and leaves a loose mulch, destroys the weeds, avoids root 

 pruning, will give the best results under all circumstances. 



UNIFORMITY. 



In selecting seed corn, they should be of uniform size, shape, color 

 and indentation. A uniform product is the result of good selection and 

 breeding, so that it is very important that the ears be uniform. The 

 variety type should be strong. If Boone County White variety, the 

 characteristics of Boone County White variety should be well developed. 

 This is one of the most important points connected with the study of 

 seed corn. It is impossible at present to describe these points so that the 

 student may become familiar with the variety type without actual study 

 of the varieties. 



SHAPE OF EARS. , 



The shape of the ear should be cylindrical. This cylindrical shape 

 carried from the butt to the tip of the ear means an even, regular, deep 

 kernel, resulting in a large per cent, of corn to cob. In tapering ears, the 

 kernels become irregular at the tip, some of the rows are lost, and the 

 proportion of corn to cob becomes small. This type is undesirable for 

 every purpose. The rows of kernels should run parallel with the cob, 

 straight and regular. If some of the kernels are not filled out, the 

 adjoining kernels swell out into irregular shapes in an effort to occupy 

 all of the space. In shelling the ears for seed, the irregular kernels in the 

 butts and tips of the ears should be shelled off and discai'ded. 



COLOR OF EARS. 



If a yellow corn, the cob should be deep red, and a white corn, the 

 cob should be pure white. In the present standard varieties the color 

 has not been given particular attention and is frequently not pure. This 

 mixing of color indicates mixing of varieties, which is injurious to the 

 development of improved varieties. Mixture between white and yellow 

 varieties is indicated by a white cap in the yellow ears, and a yellowish 

 cast to the flinty portion of the kernel in the white ear. 



MARKET CONDITION. 



The ear should be sound and firm. This indicates that the ear has 

 fully matured and dried out in the season in which it was grown. If 

 the ear is loose, the kernels shrivelled, it indicates that the ear is chaffy 

 and has not fully matured under the conditions where it was grown. 



39— Agriculture. 



