EXERCISE 20. JUDGING CORN EARS 



Equipment: A five-ear sample of corn for each member 

 of the class; tape measure; a pair of postal scales. 



Method: Provide each pupil with five ears of corn and 

 let him practice scoring, using the score card given or one 

 secured from your Agricultural College. Each student 

 should score half a dozen or more five-ear samples before 

 this exercise is passed. Number all of the ears by tying to 

 each a small numbered tag or sticking a numbered tab on 

 the butt of each cob. Have each pupil provide himself with a 

 score card ruled as shown on page 48, providing one column 

 for each ear of corn, and score the individual ears of a 

 five-ear sample. The figures in the score card between the 

 first two perpendicular lines show the number of " points " 

 that should be given for a perfect ear, e.g., if the pupil 

 thinks ear No. 4 is nearly perfect in shape he would probably 

 mark 9 in line 1, column 4, as shown in the table. Each 

 pupil should examine carefully each ear of corn and put 

 down on his score card, in the column of the same number 

 as the ear of corn, his estimate of the qualities named on 

 each line at the left, except line 3 — vitality — which should 

 not be filled in until after the ears have been subjected to 

 the germination test as directed in Exercise 22. 



Then compute the germinating value of the different 

 samples on the basis of 20 for a perfect ear, as shown in the 

 score card, and give each ear its proper rating in line 3 of 



46 



