SOME VARIABLE EARS OF DENT CORN 



A. D. Shamel, Riverside, Cal. 



EVERY autumn many corn grow- 

 ers find odd and peculiar ears in 

 their crop. The explanation for 

 these variations from the normal 

 is not always clear. Some of them, 

 however, such as those due to Xenia, 

 have received the attention of scientists 

 and the cause of this condition has been 

 satisfactorily explained. The accom- 

 panying photographs of some typical 

 freak ears of corn were collected by the 

 writer and are shown as illustrations of 

 some interesting cases of variations of 

 corn ears coming under his observation. 

 The ears in Figs. 8 and 9 were collected 

 from two crops of yellow dent, and 

 those in Fig. 10 from a crop of white 

 dent corn. The monstrosity shown in 

 Fig. 11 was found in a field of Reid's 

 yellow dent. 



It seems desirable, from the viewpoint 

 of the writer, that corn growers be urged 

 to look for variable ears of corn, partic- 

 ularly those showing strikingly differ- 

 ent characteristics from those of the 

 variety grown. These variations or 

 sports are not likely to be of much im- 

 portance or value from the standpoint of 

 securing valuable seed, but they are 

 likely to be of interest and importance 

 to students of the principles of variation 

 and breeding. 



The writer feels strongly the desira- 

 bility of this effort to secure further 

 information concerning the variability of 

 corn varieties from the fact that he 

 remembers finding many interesting 

 cases of variability which at the time 

 were not thought to be of sufficient 

 value and importance to photograph or 



INTERESTING VARIATIONS OF YELLOW DENT CORN 



While explanations have been offered as to the causes of some of these variations, the reason 

 for others remains a mystery. A study of similar variations and their behavior durmg prop- 

 agation has done much to throw light upon the origin of our corn varieties and has 

 assisted in the formulation of fundamental principles of breeding. (Fig. 8.) 



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