600 ANNUAL. REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



experiment in the field, that there is no relation between true 

 cylindricity and the highest yield. It has been determined at the 

 Ohio Experiment Station, and at the Illinois University that the 

 largest yield comes from the slightly tapering ears. The ear may 

 be slightly tapering, medium tapering of cylindrical, but more nearly 

 cylindrical it is the better. Then comes color, 5 points. Frequently the 

 color shows whether the breeding has been poor or otherwise. A yel- 

 low com should be strictly yellow, and the color of the kernels should 

 be uniform. Then comes the cob, 5 points. Then the tip, 5 points. 

 Not much has been said about the excellence of the tip, and yet a 

 poor tip detracts from an otherwise good ear. I would like to call 

 your attention to these three ears; one of them is very good, one 

 medium, and one very poor. Likewise I hold in my hand two ears 

 that illustrate two qualities of tip measurements. The one is well 

 filled and rounded out, while the one on the left is very poorly 

 filled out at the tip. Now, in judging, this will, of course, be 

 scored, but I want to call your attention to the fact that excellence 

 of yield and vigor does not necessarily mean excellence of tip. 

 Now you will readily notice that the long ear is the more desirable 

 of the two. It has more corn on it. I believe it is easier to increase 

 the yield of corn of this shape than it is to increase the length of 

 this particular cob. It is possible to over-emphasize the appearance 

 of the tip, and leave out the other consideration; nevertheless an 

 excellent tip looks well. 



Then we come to the butt of the ear. Here we have also a 

 quality that is as important as the tip. Here, for instance, are 

 two ears, and I can show you again on them, the small, medium 

 and large kernels. If you will look at this ear, you will see it well 

 filled out at the but, with rows, regular and straight up to the 

 end. We want to take this fact into consideration, because it 

 indicates strength and vigor of growth, and it also bears some 

 grains that look as though they might be valuable for feed. 



Then we come to the length; we give this 5 points because it 

 is a factor that is quite important. Here we can turn again to 

 the ear; when the length is in proper portion it makes a beautiful 

 ear. Take the Dent Corn; here we have a variety that has a cir- 

 cumference of two inches from the butt, and is 75 per cent of the 

 length, and it is a good looking ear. I would pay more attention 

 to the length than I would to the excellence of the tip, but I think 

 with better methods of corn culture, we can improve them both. 



Mr. T. E. Orr, who was a judge of poultry was talking about the 

 hen. He had her standing on the table in front of him, and was 

 talking about her good qualities, w^hen some one, who evidently 

 was not acquainted with her, or with the good points of a hen, 

 wanted to know what were the factors of good appearance in a 

 hen; he thought for a moment, and then said, "if she fills your eye, 

 is perfect in her shape, in her proportions, then there is no doubt 

 of her excellent qualities." So it is with the ear. The ear which 

 shows a proper proportion between circumference and length and 

 is well filled out, leaves little doubt of its good qualities. On the 

 other hand, the ear which, while it may have reasonable circum- 

 ference, shows lack of form in some way, and lack of strength 

 and vigor in growth. Take this ear, for instance; it is a little 

 too long for its circumference, and it has not the most dewrable 

 form. 



