BOTANICAL CHARACTERS \\% 



early maturing sort which develops a long ear, e.g. Chester CHAP. 

 County. 



The circumference of a mature ear at 2 inches from the 

 butt should average 3 inches in an ear 4 inches long, or 7-J 

 inches in one 10 inches long. The weight at harvest ma)' 

 vary from 3 to 18 ounces or more, but in time it may lose in 

 drying from one-half of 1 per cent up to 35 per cent. 



In shape the ear may be cylindrical (of uniform circum- 

 ference) throughout its entire length, or more or less tapering. 



The butt or base varies in shape and size. In a normal 

 ear it should be of the same diameter, and have the same 

 number of rows of grain as the main part of the ear, but this 

 is often not the case. If the entire end of the cob is exposed, 

 with the butt-grains at right angles to the axis of the cob, the 

 butt is described as even. It may be rounded at the end and 

 show the marks of the tightly-clasping husks on the grain, 

 when it is called compressed. If there is a greater space be- 

 tween the rows at the butt than on the rest of the ear, it is 

 open. It may be expanded by additional rows of grain, or 

 enlarged without having any extra rows. 



The cavity formed by a rounded butt may be shallow and 

 broad, of moderate depth and diameter, or deep and of small 

 diameter. 



The apex of the ear is called the tip. The tip may be en- 

 tirely covered with grains ; it is then described as filled. The tip 

 grains may be scattered or in rows, or the tip may be bare 

 through exposure, from lack of pollination or of adequate 

 covering by the husks, or from ravages of ear-worm or birds, 

 or through drought or lack of plant-food. If a central grain 

 projects from a filled tip it is called capped. In shape the tip 

 may be rounded or flattened. 



The spaces between rows are called sulci. The smaller 

 the number of rows, the greater the tendency to width of sulci. 

 But if the grain is well shaped, the sulci will be narrow even 

 when the rows are few. 



84. The Cob. — The cob (11 83) varies greatly in shape 

 and circumference. If the latter is over 4tV inches it is de- 

 scribed as "large',' if from 3-^ to 4^ inches as "medium" and 

 if 3-^ inches or under as " small". The cob increases in length 

 during the growing season of the plant. In colour, the chaffy 



8 



