12 



BULLETIISr 708, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



were rotten, while 18 per cent were discolored and 40 per cent were 

 worm moldy. 



A comparison of the classes with different shuck coverings shows 

 that 3 per cent more ears in poor shucks than in good shucks were 

 rotten, 16 per cent more were discolored, and 18 per cent more were 

 affected with worm mold. 



GENERAL VALUE OF A GOOD SHUCK COVERING. 



Of all the ears of corn produced in the United States each year, com- 

 paratively few entirely escape damage. Most of them lose only a few 

 kernels because of earworms or other insects or are more or less 

 reduced in value by molds or discoloration. This damage is usually 

 passed without concern, but when it is considered that a loss of only 

 one kernel per ear amounts to an annual loss for the United States of 

 at least 5,000,000 bushels and that tliis amount must be multiphed 

 several times to represent the total annual loss, it becomes apparent 

 that these losses are worthy of attention. It seems that by improving 

 the shuck protection ear damage in any section can be considerably 

 reduced, but such protection can be made of the greatest value in 

 sections infested with weevils. Some special advantages of shuck 

 protection in a weevil-infested section are mentioned below. 



ADVANTAGES IN THE FIELD. 



The relation of the shuck covering to the percentage of damaged 

 kernels is illustrated by the figures presented in Table VIII. These 

 data were obtained on October 6, 1916, from two of the lots of ears 

 considered in Table V. 



Table VIII. — Relation of the shuck covering of corn to the percentage of damaged kernels. 





Numher 

 of ears 

 exam- 

 ined. 



Percentage of kernels damaged. 





Kind of shuck coverins;. 



By 



wee^^ls. 



By ear- 

 worms. 



By worm 

 mold. 



Total. 



With practically no extension 



With an extension of 4 to ti inches beyond the tips of 

 the ears 



100 

 111 



14 

 



6 



■ 1 



o4 



20 



1 







14 



5 





19 









a These figures are included in those for worm-eaten kernels. 



With practically no shuck extension, 14 per cent of the kernels 

 were damaged by weevils, 6 per cent by worms, and 4 per cent by 

 worm mold. No kernels with shuck extensions of 4 to 6 inches were 

 damaged by weevils, 1 per cent were damaged by worms, and 1 per 

 cent by worm mold. The ears in shucks witli practically no extension 

 had a total of 20 per cent of their kernels damaged, while in the ears 

 with shuck extensions only 1 per cent were damaged. It is evident, 



