Sixth. The corn is grown where soil and other conditions are, at least for the section, 

 not seriously abnormal. 



Cuts. Determine your standard of size. Remember that a deviation from your standard 

 of one-half inch either way is allowed in both length and circumference, before the ear is 

 faulted. As you measure the length of each ear, record in inches the excess deviation in 

 either direction. Do the same for circumference. Total the variations and cut one-half point 

 for each inch excess variation. 



(b) Ripeness. (15) Ripeness is an essential quality in corn and is indicated in part by 

 rigidity of cob and firmness of kernels on the cob. If immature, the kernels may contain 

 an excess of moisture. Immature kernels, in shelling, often lose their tip caps or have bits 

 of cob and chaff adhering. Cut one and one-half points for each ear showing indications of 

 immaturity. 



(c) *Depth and Filling of Kernel. (5) There is a close relation between filling of kernel 

 and indentation. Thus one of the best indications that kernels are too long for their environ- 

 ment is excessive chaffiness at the crown. Chaffy kernels are usually "pinch dented." The 

 short kernels characteristic of countries with little rain or short growing seasons naturally 

 tend to be dimple-dented and should not be faulted on this score. In Other sections any 

 indentation ranging from moderate to deep dent need not be faulted. 



Cuts. In making cuts you will have to use your own judgment in ascertaining whether 

 or not a kernel is too long or too short for a given section. For each ear having a kernel 

 depth and indentation which you consider poorly adapted to the locality in which it was 

 grown cut one-half ponit. 



8. UNIFORMITY. (15) Because of competition and in order to simplify judging, uni- 

 formity is necessary in all exhibits. Only those characters given in the score card under 

 this head need to be considered. For purposes of study, two kernels should be removed 

 from one row in each ear between three and four inches from the butt. 



•Extreme depth of kernel in a seed ear is popularly supposed to indicate great ability to yield. Experiments, 

 however, even in the more favored sections of the corn be't, indicate that nothing is to be gained by excessive 

 depth of kernel. We have already observed how rainfall and length of growing season affect kernel depth. Corn 

 in the various regions, where it is a crop of some importance, varies in depth of kernels from 6/16 to about 9/16 

 of an inch. (This measurement is taken from the kernel with the tip cap removed.) Though the depth of kernel 

 varies with environment, it is less practical to set arbitrary limits than was the case in "Size of Ear.' 



Observation will probably bear out the fact, that' though 9/16 of an inch seems to be about a maximum 

 depth of kernel, conditions are seldom so favorable that a kernel depth of '/, inch will not take full advantage 

 of the possibilities of soil and climate and give the highest possible yields. When men try to grow a kernel 

 deeper than conditions warrant, the kernel fills as deep as possible and then leaves at the crown a wrinkled mass 

 of chaff. Such kernels are called "pinch dented." Ears of corn with such kernels are rough, frequently fail to 

 mature, and are hard to husk. Furthermore, because this rough chaff has relatively little feeding value and causes 

 tenderness of mouth, such corn may not give the best possible gains in feeding cattle. 



When varieties of corn are bred with ears shorter than conditions warrant, there seems to be a tendency 

 to abnormally enlarge the cob, lengthen the kernel, or both. The reverse of this statement is likewise true. 

 Note: This score card is an adaptation from one long in use in the University of Nebraska. 



iy 



