SELECTING AND STORING SEED CORN 233 



following. Measure the length of each ear and get the 

 average of ten. Find the average circumference one third 

 the distance from the butt. Find the ratio of the average 

 circumference to the average length. Weigh five ears. 

 Shell and weigh grain. Find percentage of grain; per- 

 centage of cob. 



It will aid greatly in this work to have a sample ear of 

 each variety which has been raised by some reliable 

 corn breeder. Have the pupils put into the first class 

 all the ears that approach the standard ear. Discard all 

 others. 



Encourage the pupils to select in this way a number of 

 ears at home to save for the spring planting. 



The judging may be done by following the points in- 

 dicated on a score card arranged by the Corn Growers' 

 Association. Almost all of the points indicated above, as 

 well as some others, are found on one of these score cards. 

 Each characteristic counts so many points; for example, 

 if an ear is perfect in shape it scores ten, if a tip is perfect 

 it scores five, and so on. An ear perfect in every par- 

 ticular scores one hundred. 



The following interesting and profitable exercise in 

 connection with corn study may be conducted as field 

 work by the class, or as individual study at home. Select 

 a plot in the fields ten hills each way. Find the whole 

 number of stalks in the square, the number with one good 

 ear, with two good ears, number of barren stalks, number 

 with suckers, number with smut. Measure the distance 

 between the hills and between the rows. How many 

 stalks should there be in each hill ? If the hills are from 

 forty to forty-four inches apart, there should be three good 



