50 CORN AND GRAIN JUDGING 



to farmers as market condition, and all farmers should be 

 able to judge corn for the perfection of that characteristic. 

 The utmost importance is attached to market condition 

 in carrying on variety tests, as a variety of corn is of little 

 value to a community, if it does not properly mature within 

 the growing season. However, corn will gradually adjust 

 itself to varying conditions of soil and climate ; and the 

 earliness of corn can be improved materially by selecting 

 those ears for seed that show good market condition, even 

 if there are but few in the entire field. 



Rule for Scoring. Cut up to one point for every dis- 

 eased, chaffy, injured, or immature ear. 



TIPS AND BUTTS 



Perfect Score. (a) TIPS. The kernels should extend 

 over the tip in regular rows, and be uniform in size and 

 shape. Perfect score, 5 points, (b) BUTTS. The kernels 

 should extend over the butt in regular rows and be well 

 developed and uniform. Perfect score, 5 points. 



Directions for Judging. A perfect tip has a central 

 kernel called the cap, which is completely surrounded with 

 uniform kernels. A perfect tip is rarely found, but those 

 which come nearest to the ideal should be chosen, providing 

 it is not at the expense of other more important factors. 

 The tip kernels are likely to be flinty and of a pop-corn 

 shape, which is undesirable in dent corn. If bare tips are 

 noticeable generally throughout the field, it may be due to 

 the fact that the silks representing the tip kernels which 

 were formed last were too late to receive the pollen for 

 their proper fertilization. If ears having defective tips or 

 butts are used for seed, their undesirable characters will 

 soon become permanent. Open tips usually accompany 



