CORN GROWERS ASSOCIATION. II7 



subjected to a moist atmosphere, may absorb water in sufficient amounts 

 to be injured by a hard freeze. It is never desirable, therefore, to store 

 corn over a stable because of the moist air arising from the stalls. Any 

 method by which the corn is dried quickly and kept dry will maintain 

 its vitality. 



CHARACTER OF GOOD SEED EARS. 



There are certain characteristics in ears of corn which indicate high 

 yields per acre and which the corn grower should observe in selection. 

 Some of these are based on the observations of both practical and scien- 

 tific men, others are more or less theoretical. We must maintain certain 

 ideals if we are to improve our corn as we have improved our live stock. 

 It will be understood that the purpose for which corn is grown will in- 

 fluence largely the ears to be selected but the characters mentioned here 

 are those which deal simply with yield of shelled corn per acre. 



Shape of Ear. — The best shape for an ear of corn is as nearly cylin- 

 drical as possible. This is desirable for two important reasons. In the 

 first place, a tapering ear usually means a less amount of shelled corn to 

 the cob, than if the ear is cylindrical ; it means either shallow grains near 

 the tip or the dropping out of rows, neither of which is desirable. The 

 second reason for selecting cylindrical ears is that such an ear bears 

 kernels of nearer uniform shape and size than the tapering ear, thus 

 giving a more even distribution of the seed by the planter. It will be 

 understood that ears perfectly cylindrical can rarely be found but those 

 that are nearly cylindrical are the ones to select. 



Proportions of the Ear. — The proper proportion of length to cir- 

 cumference in an ear of corn is about 4 to 3, or the circumference should 

 be ^ the length ; that is, an ear 10 inches long should be 7^ inches 

 around at a point one-third the distance from butt to tip. It is rarely de- 

 sirable therefore to select the longest ears that can be found, neither is 

 it wise to select the shortest ones, when shelled corn per acre is wanted. 

 It is a common opinion among farmers that the very long ears are best, 

 but the experience of corn breeders has not shown this to be true when 

 a series of seasons is considered. Where the corn is to be fed on the 

 stalk it may sometimes be advisable to select the shorter ears when two 

 occur on a stalk, but this would not apply to the case where a high yield 

 of marketable corn per acre is the object. 



Space Between Kernels. — It is rarely desirable to select corn with 

 wide spaces between the rows either at the tips of the kernels, or at the 

 base next the cob. The space between the various kernels in the indi- 

 vidual row should be small, so that the ear will be solid and compact. 

 The flint varieties of the northern part of the United States show the 



