Indian Corn, or Maize 127 



description of an ideal ear with the various qualities arranged in logical 

 order and given numerical ratings, the total of which is one hundred. 

 Score-cards are useful in making a logical study of the different quali- 

 ties and in emphasizing their relative importance. The ratings are 

 arbitrary and, as different persons will not give the same weight to all 

 of the different qualities, the cards are not uniform. However, they- 

 serve their purpose when they teach the pupils to observe closely the 

 various qualities and point out their relative importance. Many of the 

 state agricultural colleges furnish score-cards to teachers through their 

 extension departments. When these can be secured they should be 

 used, because they are adapted especially to the work in the state. 

 On page 128 is given a score-card from United States Department of 

 Agriculture Bulletin 281. This is a very good card and can well be 

 used in schools where cards of local adaptation are not available. 



Dealers in agricultural laboratory supplies furnish score-cards at a 

 very nominal price and often these are purchased in quantities by school 

 authorities and used in the classes. 



When scoring a sample, a cut, or deduction, should be made for each 

 ear deficient in each quality listed in the score-card. Suppose a ten- 

 ear sample is to be judged and ten points is given for a quality, a cut 

 of one point should be made for each ear badly deficient in this quality. 

 If five points is given for a quality, a cut of one-half a point is made. 

 If twenty-five points is given, a cut of two and one-half points is made. 

 In case the ear is only slightly deficient in a quality, the extreme cut is 

 not made, the ears being cut according to the judgment of the scorer. 



The general practice in scoring a sample is for the scorer to draw 

 toward him ears that require no cut and push away from him those 

 that need the full cut. Thus three classes are made and it is easy then 

 to make a fair estimate of the amount to cut the whole sample. 



Using the score-card, practice scoring and judging as follows. With 

 a ten-ear exhibit before you, select the ear that is best in maturity 

 and seed condition. Select the ear that is poorest in this respect. 

 Arrange the ears of the samples in order, one, two, three, and so on, 

 with only this quality considered. Proceed in like manner with all the 

 other points on the score-card. Next, score the sample, taking into 

 consideration all the points. Follow this by scoring three samples 

 and arranging them in order according to the total scores. After hav- 

 ing had experience in scoring several samples, arrange three samples 

 and place them in order by comparing them without using the score- 

 card. Next, score these same samples and compare with your previous 

 placing. Continue this comparative judging until you can place sam- 

 ples in order accurately without using the score-card. 



