34 



the sand or sawdust moist. As germination takes place you will no 

 doubt find many ears showing weakness or poor germinating power, 

 and they should be discarded at once. 



Sometimes corn that will germinate will not grow well under field 

 conditions. So in any effort to improve corn the desirable ears 

 retained from the germination test should be tested in the field. The 

 most convenient method is by what is called the "ear row test." 

 This consists in planting row No. 1 with corn taken from ear No. 1, 

 row No. 2 with corn from ear No. 2, etc. Plots of any desired size 

 may be arranged, and while much more elaborate systems of plot 

 tests haye been recommended, for the average farmer the above will 

 be sufficient. The plot used for this purpose should be given the best 

 of preparation, fertilization and care throughout the season, giving 

 the corn every possible chance. Before the pollen begins to scatter, 

 all weak and barren stalks should be removed. Half of each row 

 may also be detasseled before the fertilization of the silk takes place, 

 to prevent inbreeding. Seed ears for another years' crop may be 

 selected from this plot and cared for as before described, and marked 

 improvement should be the result. 



The operations described are simple, the work is extremely interest- 

 ing, there is need of such work, and those who carry it on will find 

 ready sale for their product at prices far in advance of those usually 

 secured. 



Selection and Preparation of Corn for Show. 



For purposes of exhibition corn is now usually shown in single-ear, 

 ten-ear or eighty-ear (approximately a bushel) lots. The ten-ear 

 sample, the one most commonly used, is of convenient size to be easily 

 judged, and is of sufficient size to show a fair sample of what the crop 

 really is. 



Numerous score cards have been devised for corn judging. Neces- 

 sarily each varies with the ideas of the different persons who compile 

 them. A score card, however, aids the judge in keeping all the im- 

 portant points in mind. It establishes a uniform basis for study and 

 comparison, and prevents laying undue stress on certain points to the 

 exclusion of others. The use of a corn score card requires judgment, 

 the same as for fruit, live stock, milk or other products. Score cards 

 differ for different sections. Obviously, the same score card should 

 not be used on corn or the type grown in New England as for that 

 grown in Iowa or Missouri. In order to formulate a score card for 

 New England corn the officers of the New England Corn Exposition 

 appointed a committee to consider this matter. After consulting 

 about twenty authorities on types of corn the following score cards 

 for dent and flint corns have been decided upon. These will be used 

 in judging the corn at the exposition this fall. 



