462 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



SELECTION OF CORN FOR EXHIBITION. 



Much depends on the drainage and condition of the soil, seed, seed- 

 bed and cultivation, before corn can be successfully selected for exhibi- 

 tion. 



Tlie drainage question is large within itself, as it is the first thing to 

 be considered in a successful corn crop in either wet or dry seasons, and 

 aids much toward the condition and fertility of the soil. After the land 

 is well underdraiucd the condition of the soil then depends much on 

 clover crops, plenty of manure and on never cultivating too wet or letting 

 stock have free access to fields during wet weather. 



With proper management of the soil the seedbed is easily prepared 

 and remains in splendid condition for cultivation through the entire 

 season. 



The seed being a very important question, it is necessary that the 

 grower should vmderstand the six or eight standard varieties of corn, 

 and grow the variety most adapted to his soil and climate. 



The principal varieties of corn grown today in Indiana are "Learning," 

 "Johnson County White Dent," "Riley's Favorite" and "Boone County 

 White." It is necessary that the characteristics of each variety be studied 

 that we may know how best to secure pure seed, and seed that will largely 

 reproduce itself. 



Every corn grower should study the general score card and also the 

 score card on standard varieties. It not only aids him in selecting his 

 seed for planting, but it is the key to successful selection of corn for ex- 

 hibition. The exhibitor knows by what rules his corn is to be judged, 

 and the judges must be confined strictly to those rules, and place on the 

 card attached to each entry the score on each point, that the exhibitor 

 may know wherein he has failed. This is a great educator to the in- 

 experienced exhibitor of corn. 



If I was to exhibit "Rileys Favorite" yellow dent corn, the first thing 

 I should do would be to thoroughly understand the characteristics of that 

 variety. I would know that the ears should be slowly tapering, with 

 straight rows of kernels, deep yellow in color with red cob. In no point 

 are impure varieties so easily distinguished as in color. White cob in 

 yellow corn should disqualify the exhibit. Four or five white kernels in 

 each ear would give a marking of 0. 



Market condition would call for well-matured corn kernels firmly set 

 on cob; no kernels lost, decayed, worm or mice eaten. In selecting for 

 tips in this variety the ears, as I have said before, are permitted to taper 

 slowly, but the tips should not be pointed, but rounded, or capped by 

 long, even kernels, showing trace of rows to the center of cap. 



The butts of each ear should bo deeply rounded with deep, uniform 

 kernels. The shank on ear-stalk of this viu-iety is medium in size. 



