STRUCTURE OF MAIZE I^ 



each ear is attached to the main culm varies in length. The 

 shorter length, holding the ear in position more firmly, is 

 generally accompanied with a more compact husk, thus better 

 protecting the ear from weather or the attacks of birds and 

 insects. In sections where damage is liable to occur from 

 excessive rainfall, the tip of the ear should hang do\vnward. In 

 the Southern States, if the tip of the ear points upward, rain 

 will enter bet^veen the husk and ear and being held there a few 

 warm days will cause the grain at the butt to sprout or rot. 



219. Characteristics of Ear. — The physical characters of an 

 ear of maize may, in some measure, indicate the yield, maturity, 

 keeping quality and vitality, as well as its purity or trueness to 

 t}'pe. By an examination of the split grain some indication of 

 the composition may be obtained. (258) As in all plants and 

 animals, however, the hereditary or reproductive power of ears 

 of similar outward appearance may differ widely. (43) This 

 is especially true of maize, since being wind pollenized, the male 

 parent is unknown. The physical development of the ear is 

 greatly influenced also by its environment. 



220. Terms Descripti\'e of Ear. — Grains are usually of the same charac- 

 ter throughout the ear, or unikemelled, but in case of crosses between two types may 

 have two forms or be bikernelled. A bikemelled variety from Chile has been figured 

 by Bonafous. 



The ear may be cylindrical or cyWidraceous^ cylindrical for a portion of its length ; 

 tapering, distinctly tapering or slowly tapering, representing different degrees of 

 decrease in diameter from butt to tip. In some varieties the ears are long and 

 slender ; in others short and thick ; or the ear may be flat. 



The grains may be even at butt ■vvith plane line of cob; or may be shAllovj rounded, 

 moderately rounded or deeply rounded 2i\ the butt. 



The ear may taper toward the butt through a flattening of the grains as if 

 pressed down from above, depressed at butt, or through a decrease in the diameter of 

 tne cob, compressed at butt ; or through a shortening of the length of grains, 

 depressed-rounded at butt ; or through both a shortening of the grain and a decrease 

 in the cob, depressed-compressed at butt. Or the ear may be enlarged at butt by a more 

 or less openness between rows ; or expanded at butt through increase in number of 

 rows. WTien space between pairs of rows extends to cob, it is open at butt. In some 

 rases of eight or less rowed varieties the rows throughout the ear are in distinctly 

 defined pairs, or distichous. The rows may be rectilinear, spiral ox irregular. 



The tip characters are quite variable within varieties, but a single terminal grai.» 



