52 LESSONS IN AGRICULTURE 



4. Height of ear. 



5. Length of shank. 



6. Ear good or poor type. 



Reference: F;irm<Ts' Rnlletin. No. '2'_'9. 



g. Selecting the Seed Corn in the Field 



Go to a corn field in the vicinity of the school and 

 select at least fifty desirable stalks of corn bearing the 

 ears as explained in the discussion above. First select 

 the strong, medium-sized, stocky stalks having the ears 

 properly located and bending from the stalk. Husk 

 enough of the ear to see whether the other points of 

 selection mentioned as (1), (2), (3) above, are up to a 

 good standard. Husk ten or twelve ears and take them 

 to the schoolroom for further study. 



If it is not practical to go to a corn field, a dozen 

 or more stalks of corn should be brought into the school- 

 room for a study of the points in field selection of seed 

 corn. Make notes criticizing the stalks. 

 3. Storing Seed Corn 



Construct a swinging shelf in the attic of the school- 

 room by means of four wires and a board about six 

 feet long by one foot wide. Lay the corn you have se- 

 lected for seed on this shelf, cording it up like wood sev- 

 eral layers deep. Such a swinging shelf may be made 

 in the barn or crib at the farm, and several bushels 

 of seed corn stored upon it. 



4. Selecting Exhibition Corn 



Arrange for an exhibit day as a practical lesson under 

 this topic. Each pupil should bring ten of the best ears 



