INDIAN CORN. 153 



limits by careful selection, results in infinite varieties 

 of corn, many of which are much alike. Every lo- 

 cality has- its peculiar varieties, some of which] are 

 usually well adapted to the surrounding conditions. 



There seems to be good evidence for believing that 

 for any given locality a medium maturing variety will 

 yield more bushels of dry corn than an earlier or a later 

 maturing variety. The later maturing variety will 

 often yield a greater weight when husked, but the ex- 

 tra quantity of water contained may, and often does, 

 more than counterbalance the increased weight. The 

 danger of injury from frost is also greater. It is, 

 probably, a good rule to plant varieties which will 

 ripen ten days before the usual date at which killing 

 frosts occur. 



A good ear of dent corn should be as nearly cylin- 

 drical as may be, so that it may hold the largest 

 amount of corn in proportion to the size of the junc- 

 tion with the stalk. Ears that taper rapidly also have 

 usually less corn in proportion to the cob. Both the 

 tip and butt should be well filled. 



A good sized ear is eight to nine inches long and 

 from six and one-half to seven inches in circumfer- 

 ence at two-fifths its length from the butt. Ten inches 

 is rather long for an ear of dent corn, while seven 

 inches is a good length for smaller varieties. It is a 

 good ear that weighs three- fourths of a pound. It 

 takes about 100 good ears to make a bushel of shelled 

 corn, /y 



A good size for the circumference of the cob is from 

 three and two-thirds to four and one-third inches. 

 The cob should be neither too large nor too small. 

 It is evident that of two ears of equal size and com- 







