Rural School Leaflet. 969 



The boys and girls should gain from "Com Day" a direct, practical 

 lesson — that is, the knowledge of what a good '^ar of corn is. The 

 corn crop in New York State is going to be much improved through seed 

 selection. Farm boys and girls can do much to bring this about just 

 as in many sections their interest in the Babcock Milk Test has awakened 

 the whole community to the value of this test. A knowledge of a good 

 ear of corn is at the foundation of any corn improvement. An article 

 in this Leaflet will help you in teaching the children what good ears are. 



Whatever is done on "Corn Day" we want to hear about it. Will 

 yoti have the children write to us? 



After "Corn Day" in your school we should like to have the Club 

 send us the best five ten-ear exhibits of any kind of corn for exhibition 

 at the Cornell Corn Show, which comes during "Farmers' Week," February 

 22nd to 27th. We will want compositions and drawings upon corn 

 subjects, and for all these things will give prizes. We are going to make 

 the school exhibit a great part of the Cornell Corn Show. 



We believe your school ought to celebrate "Corii Day" and that your 

 school should be represented at the Cornell Corn Show by exhibits for 

 the good of your school and your district, and especially for the good 

 of your boys and girls. We ask your co-operation. 



HOW TO JUDGE CORN 



T. L. LYON 



Experience throughout the "corn belt" has shown that the yield of 

 corn may be greatly increased by planting from ears that possess certain 

 qualities. For dent corn these are: 



1. A cylindrical shape (Fig. 61, A). An ear of this shape carries 

 more grain and has more uniform kernels than a tapering ear. An ear 

 may taper because the kernels grow shorter toward the tip (Fig. 61, C), 

 or because some of the rows of kernels drop out between the butt and 

 tip (Fig. 61,* B). In either case there is less grain produced than there 

 would be were the kernels deep throughout the ear or were the missing 

 parts of rows present. 



2. An ear of medium size. One important thing to bear in mind is 

 that the ver\^ large ears of corn are not, on most soils, the best to plant 

 for seed. The larger the ear the greater the amount of fertilizing matter 

 and the longer the growing season required to produce it. If a large 

 eared variety or strain of corn is planted and either of these factors 

 are deficient the result is a smaller yield of grain than if a medium 

 sized ear had been used. It is, however, desirable to have the largest 

 possible amount of grain on an ear of medium length. 



