CORN growers' association. 89 



lific" sorts; and I conclude that the medium, between the extremes, 

 gives the best average results, 



I come to this conclusion first upon the safe theory of the "sur- 

 vival of the fittest." Since I can first remember, at frequent intervals 

 the extreme types have been introduced and tried, but fully 80 per cent 

 of the farmers have swung round to the use of the medium sizes and 

 one ear to the stalk. J. O. Roberts of Clarksville, who has had a wide 

 and varied experience in raising and handling corn, as a farmer on 

 rich bottom land, on medium land and on hill or high upland, also as a 

 miller for a long period, and thirdly as a dealer buying corn from thou- 

 sands of crops, said to the writer, "After all, the most satisfactory kind 

 for all kinds of land and all kinds of seasons, and the safest to plant is 

 a medium-sized white corn." 



To be more specific, ten inches long should be the maximum. This 

 would mean that a very large percentage of ears grown on average 

 land would fall short of that from one to two inches. The ratio of 

 three to four for circumference to length remains unchallenged. The 

 size of the kernels is of some importance. Having measured many 

 hundreds of samples of high producing crops, I would prefer the fol- 

 lowing dimensions: Length of grain, one-half inch to nine-sixteenths; 

 width of grain, five and a half sixteenths ; thickness of grain, two and 

 a half sixteenths. The shape of grain should be key stone, as nearly 

 straight on edges as possible, thus filling all the space. The rows 

 should extend three-sixteenths of an inch beyond the cob at the butt, 

 and to within three-sixteenths of an inch of end at tip. The evident re- 

 sult of closely fitting, solid, deep grains, and the extension at the butt is 

 to get the greatest amount of corn possible on a cob of a given size. 

 The reason I would not encourage the extension of grains to the ex- 

 treme tip of the cob is that at this point is the most hazardous place to 

 grow corn. It is subject to all the vicissitudes and damages of weather, 

 birds and insects, and energy expended in growing grains at the ex- 

 treme tip is more often than otherwise lost. The only way to guard 

 and protect it is to have the corn shortened so that the shuck will cover 

 it completely. If the size of the ear and the size of the grain are both 

 to be maintained, then it follows that a uniform number of rows must 

 be established. I have found that eighteen rows gives grains about the 

 right size on ears of normal size. Very large, broad grains, as a rule, 

 are rounded and do not fit closely on the cob. On the other hand, the 

 sharp-pointed grain carries too small a germ for strong germinating 

 powers. Thin, flat grains are objectionable from the same cause. A 

 medium thick grain, carrying a deep, large germ, is the better yielding 

 type. 



