86 A YEAR IN AGRICULTURE 



22. Make a list of uses to which you have seen corn 

 applied. 



23. Why is corn so well adapted to agricultural opera- 

 tions and commercial usage? 



PRACTICAL EXERCISES AND HOME PROJECT 



1. Observation study of a corn plant. Bring half a dozen 

 stalks of corn into the schoolroom or, better still, go with the 

 class to a field of standing corn. Observe the stalks having 

 roots, leaves, ears, and all complete. Make notes of your 

 observations on each stalk, noting the following points: 



1. Leafiness of stalk, number of leaves. 



2. Size and vigor of stalk measure exact height. 



3. Height of ear from ground. 



(a) Length of ear. angle with stalk, and length of 

 ear shank. 



(b) Husks, abundant or scarce, close or loose fitting. 

 . (c) Ear, good or poor type. 



4. Are brace roots present? 



5. If hills of corn are 3 feet 6 inches each way, how 

 many hills to the acre? 



6. If each hill has three corn stalks, and each stalk bears 

 an ear weighing 12 ounces, how many bushels per 

 acre would be the yield? 



2. Field selection of seed corn. Bring several stalks of 

 corn to the schoolroom, or go with the class to a field. Assign 

 to each pupil a stalk of corn and have him write a criticism 

 of the stalk as to whether it is suitable from which to select 

 seed corn or not. Note the following points : 



1. Leafiness of stalk. 



2. Size and vigor of stalk. 



3. Eoot support. 



4. Height of ear. 



