The Bulletin, 23 



The butts should have uniformity in size and shape. Do not select 

 ears with swelled butts, as these generally have lost rows, that is, rows 

 that start but do not extend to the tip of the ear, and have irregular, 

 crumply grains. 



Tips. — We must emphasize the importance of well-filled tips, because 

 this quality of ear, much more than that of the filling of the butts, is 

 under the direct control of the farmer. 



If the tips show lack of pollination, the indications are that the pollen 

 had ripened and gone before the silks had come out from the tip grains ; 

 in other words, the variety has a tendency to be proterandrous. This 

 tendency can be overcome by carefully selecting for seed only those ears 

 having well-filled butts and tips. 



Some varieties of corn seem to have a natural tendency to pointed 

 tips, but when pointed tips occur in a variety which normally produces 

 cylindrical ears there is something wrong either with the season or the 

 method of cultivation. Frequent, shallow, and late cultivation which 

 conserves great stores of soil moisture will generally fill the ti]5s with 

 well-grown and well-developed grains. "When the latter part of the 

 season has been too dry or the crop has been "laid by" too soon, the 

 grains decrease in size from butt to tip from the dimensions of normal 

 grains of the variety to those of popcorn ; while with normal seasons, 

 or late cultivation, the grains are nearly as large within an inch of the 

 tip as they are within an inch of the butt. We are inclined, therefore, 

 to score twenty points for well-filled tips on account of the bearing it 

 has on the cultivation of the corn crop. 



Space Between Rows is generally influenced by the manipulation of 

 the crop in the field. Pulling the fodder and cutting the tops frequently 

 cause a shrinkage in the grains, and the weight of the ears are thus 

 reduced. In order, then, to discourage the pulling of the fodder, which 

 is a very poor forage at best, and thus increase the acre yield of corn 

 in the State, we have given ten points in favor of the absence of exces- 

 sive space between rows except in those varieties, like Hickory King, 

 in which large space between the rows is a variety characteristic. The 

 reduction of the space between the rows increases the amount of corn 

 that may be shelled from the cob. 



Dimensions of Ear refers to tbe length of the ear and circumference 

 of the ear measured about midway from butt to tip. The relative dimen- 

 sions are generally reckoned at one to three-fourths. That is, the cir- 

 cumference should generally be about three-fourths of the length. To 

 illustrate : if the ear is ten inches long the circumference would nor- 

 mally be about seven and one-half inches about midway of the ear. 

 The dimensions are important mainly in aiding the exhibitor in secur- 

 ing uniformity in his exhibit, and is, therefore, given but two points 

 in the score-card. 



Uniformity of Oram is important not only in imparting a pleasing 

 appearance to the exhibit, but is very essential in planting the crop with 



