102 nELD CROPS 



to cob. The importance of yield is understood by all. Indi- 

 cations of maturity are firmness of the ear of corn or firmness 

 of the kernels on the cob, the ease with which the kernels 

 may be shelled from the cob, and the firmness and char- 

 acter of the kernel. Indications of immaturity are discolora- 

 tion, blistering, or imperfect development. The impoi- 

 tance of maturity can hardly be overestimated. There is 

 nothing: quite so discouraging in corn-growing as a crop of 



Figure 39. — Butts of ears. 



soft corn. Corn that is well matured has a considerably 

 higher feeding value than immature corn. Mature corn can 

 be kept easily throughout the year and will germinate strong 

 the following spring, while immature is very likely to be in- 

 jured or greatly weakened for seed. The farmer who grows 

 corn that is practically certain to mature may have slightly 

 smaller yields in favorable years, but he usually more than 

 makes these up by having a fair crop even in poor corn 

 years, when many others have failures. In poor years for 

 corn production, when the supply is short, the crop is 

 worth more to the bushel than in good corn years, which 

 fact more than compensates for the slightly smaller yields 

 in specially favorable seasons. 



128. Indications of improvement in coin are seen chiefly 

 in the uniformity of the ears, just as pure-bred animals are 

 much more uniform in type than scrubs. If a sample of 

 corn is fairly uniform, it indicates that it has been bred along 

 one line for at least several generations. By having its 



