98 



PRACTICAL CORN CULTURE 



Ears should be taken only from those plants that are 

 grown under normal conditions, no matter how vigorous the 

 individual plant. Choose erect, strong, healthy plants. Select 

 ears of a desirable height on the stalk. They should be 

 neither too high or too low. We prefer ears of a height of 



123 

 PLUMPNESS OF KEENELS AT GERM END 



Ears (see ear No. 1) with too much space between kernels at cob should 

 not be used for seed purposes. Ears Nos. 2 and 3 are desirable 



about three feet. There is a marked hereditary tendency 

 in the height of the ears on the stalks which makes it pos- 

 sible, through selection, to have very tall stalks with the 

 ears nearly touching the ground. This, however, is un- 

 doubtedly an undesirable extreme. We are strongly of the 

 opinion that the height of the ear on the stalk should be in 

 proportion to the height of the stalk. Johnson, or Boone 

 County White, corn produces a very tall stalk in this lati- 

 tude and unless bred low more ears will be above four feet 

 than under that height. Four feet is not an undesirable 

 height for so heavy a stalk. 



In field selection, soundness and depth of kernel are 



