Indian Corn, or Maize 105 



them from touching the ground when they become pendent. 

 In prolific varieties all the ears of a stalk are of equal value for 

 seed. As suckers are undesirable, seed should be taken only 

 from stalks that produced none. 



Kind of seed ear to select. The size of the ear depends 

 somewhat on the variety and location. Smaller ears are usually 

 chosen for northern climates and larger ones for southern cli- 

 mates. The ear should be nearly cylindrical in shape ; one that 

 is too tapering contains less corn than a cylindrical ear of the 

 same size. The rows should be straight from butt to tip; 

 crooked, irregular rows mean kernels of irregular shape and 

 size and, as such kernels do not pass through the planter plates 

 regularly, irregular planting results. The tips and butts should 

 be well filled ; this means a larger proportion of corn to cob. 



Too much space between the kernels next to the cob is a 

 bad feature; such a condition gives a smaller proportion of 

 corn to cob and the kernels are likely to have weak germs. 

 P. G. Holden, of the International Harvester Company, reports 

 concerning two ears of the same length and circumference, 

 but one having much more space between the kernels at the 

 cob than the other. One ear weighed 13.45 ounces and the 

 other 10.12 ounces; the first shelled out 35 per cent more 

 corn than the other. The width of the furrows between the 

 rows should not show too much space ; the space reduces 

 the quantity of corn to cob. In some varieties, however, 

 more space is allowed than in others. Depth of grain should 

 be carefully looked after ; shallow grains mean a small shelling 

 percentage of corn. In general, the kernels in dent varieties 

 should be half as long as the diameter of the cob. 



The kernels should be wedge-shaped ; they will then fit 

 snugly together at the cob. Tapering kernels mean space at 

 the cob and a small shelling percentage of corn to cob. They 

 should have strong healthy-looking germs ; dark color is an 

 indication that the germs may have been frozen, and wrinkled 

 germs indicate immaturity. The kernels in the different parts 



