11 March, 1918.] A Form for Describing Maize Ears. 185 



The xueight of the core is taken to the nearest i oz. by the letter- 

 balance. The weight of shelled grain is determined by the difference 

 between the weight of the core and the initial weight of the ear. 



In measuring the average length of grain, neither the tip, cap, nor 

 rough-beaked projections on the crown of the grain are included. 



The terms used in describing shape of grain are self-explanatory, 

 except, perhaps, that of shoe-peg, by which is meant long, very narrow 

 grain. 



The number of grains per ounce is determined by weighing out this 

 quantity of the grain on a spring letter-balance. — Reprinted from Agri- 

 culhircil Gazette of New South "Wales. 



THE ROMAT^CE OF THE PLOUGH. 



" Tlie Romance of the Plough " may seem far-fetched in the present 

 circumstances, perhaps, and yet the story of the gradual development 

 of this most useful implement from times of long ago is full of interest. 

 The process by which it has gradually been evolved from a rude 

 beginning to the present stage is an interesting story, given in a bulletin 

 issued by the Department of Agriculture, Canada. The first plough 

 was a pig's nose, the job being done by pigs, as they rooted over the soft 

 earth in search of juicy plant roots or fat grubs. The farmer of long 

 ago noticed the efficient manner in which the pigs turned over the soil, 

 and tried to imitate them. He cut down a small tree and trimmed off 

 all but one branch, leaving this one about 2 feet long and sharpened on 

 tLt end. A long stick was fastened to the trunk of the tree with which 

 to steady it, and the plough was ready to use. This was dragged up 

 and down over the area to be planted, and the earth torn up until it 

 v/as sufficiently loosened to give a covering of soil for the seed to be 

 sown. The only reason given for ploughing the soil in those days was 

 to get a covering of earth for the seeds. It was soon found, however, 

 that the weeds got thicker and thicker after each crop, and as years 

 went by and the field was ploughed up again and again, the soil became 

 harder to work. It Avould be very sticky when wet, and bake into a hard 

 mass when dry, and the plants were greatly injured by the dry weather. 

 Now the reason of this was that the stick plough did not turn the weeds 

 and weed seeds under the soil to smother and die, neither did it turn 

 up their roots to be killed by the frosts. Neither did the plough crumble 

 ihe soil as do the ploughs we noAV use; nor did this stick-plough loosen 

 the soil to any great depth, for, had the soil been worked deeper, it would 

 have held more of the rains, and the plants would not have died of thirst 

 in the hot season. But even if these farmers of long ago had a poor 

 plough, they at least had grasped the idea suggested by the pig's nose, 

 and many improvements were soon made in the shape of the plough 



