Rural School Leaflet 1303 



hull being raised in places due to frost or freezing while green ; (4) the kernels 

 are badly pinched at top, indicating lack of full development. 



Plumpness oj kernel. — A kernel pointed at the tip is likely to indicate 

 lack of maturity and poor germinating quality. A kernel pinched at the 

 top may indicate (i) lack of adaptation; (2) com too large for soil, thus 

 not being able to fully mature; (3) lack of maturity due to frost. 



Color or luster. — Discoloration usually indicates immaturity or injured 

 germinating quality. Grain with a bright luster and no discolor always 

 germinates well, and comes from sound, mature ears that have been well 

 preserved. Discoloration on the tip or the back of kernel always means 

 a wet cob or soggy ear and poor curing. 



Off-colored grains, such as white grains in yellow corn, mean mixture. 

 All ears showing signs of mixture should be disqualified. 



Quality oj germ. — The appearance of germs in ears that have been tested 

 and are known to be of good germinating quality, should be studied. A 

 good germ should have a cream-white color, should be waxHke in texture, 

 and should have only a small air-s]3ace about the plumule. Poor germs 

 are most commonly indicated by (i) dark color in some part; (2) dry or 

 shrunken appearance. 



Size 0} shank. — A large, heavy shank (i) makes corn difficult to husk; 

 (2) is likely to go with a large, wet cob that cures slowly. A very small 

 shank will break easily, allowing the ear to fall to the ground. The 

 shank should be from one-half to three-quarters the diameter of the 

 cob. 



Fancy points 



Shape and proportions. — An ideal ear of the variety to be judged, should 

 be examined first. In general the shape should be cylindrical, except in 

 certain varieties. The proportions of circumference to length for dent 

 corn are about 7 or 8 to 10, for flint corn 6 to 10. 



Tips of ears. — Three characters are considered in examining the tip: 

 (i) straight, regvdar rows; (2) depth of kernel — the kernels should be ap- 

 proximately as deep near the tip as in the middle of the ear; (3) exposure 

 of cob. A slight exposure is not objected to if the tip is good in other 

 points. Much exposed cob, however, is taken to indicate lack of adapta- 

 tion. 



Butts of ears. — The butt should (i) have regular rows; (2) the kernels 

 should be full depth and shapely; (3) the shank scar should be mcdimn 

 in size; (4) the grains should be well rounded about the shank; (5) the butt 

 should be neither expanded, due to enlarged cob, nor contracted, due to 

 short grains or irregular rows. 



Spacing of rows. — The spacing of rows and the shape of kernels can be 

 examined at one time. For this purpose several kernels should be removed 



