JUDGING AND SELECTION 253 



(1) the sulci or spaces between the rows of grain on the CHAP. 



surface of the ear ; V1 - 



(2) the space between the tips of the grain, especially 



noticeable with sharply-pointed grains. 



The sulci are generally widest in broad-, shallow- and 

 smooth-grained ears, and in those breeds having fewest rows. 

 Cut 1 point for sulci \ inch wide or over; 75 for T V to | inch, 

 and '5 for -jV to to °f an inch. But judgment must be 

 guided by experience in this matter. 



The space at the tips can be judged fairly well by the shape 

 of the grain, but in close judging it is well to shell off a space 

 4 inches long and 4 rows wide, on the five ears that are to be 

 shelled for determination of yield of grain. By examining 

 the exposed ends and sides of the rows it is easy to determine 

 the degree of loss of space; '25 may be cut for each ear show- 

 ing too much loss of space. 



Reduction of width of sulci is well illustrated in Fig. 67 

 of Doyle Hickory King. 



207. Shape of Grain. — Generally speaking, the wedge- 

 shaped grain is the best type to breed to, because it neces- 

 sarily furnishes the greatest amount of grain for the same size 

 of ear. 



The shape of the grain is influenced to some extent by the 

 number of rows, for we find that ears bearing eighteen to 

 twenty-four rows usually have wedge-shaped grain, while those 

 with less than eighteen rows are apt to have broader, rectangu- 

 lar, or round-edged grains. This is not constant, however, 

 for 10-row Hickory has more or less wedge-shaped grains. The 

 question of the most desirable shape for each breed is largely 

 a matter of experience. In South Africa the types have not 

 yet been definitely fixed. The edges of the wedge should not 

 be curved but straight. 



The proportion of starch is much higher in a thick grain 

 than a thin one, and the proportion of bran and waste 

 lower, which appeals to the miller and merchant ; therefore 

 thick grains are more desirable than thin ones. By thick grains 

 we mean thick in the direction of the main axis of the ear. 



The tip of the grain should be thick, plump, and not 

 sharply pointed. Grain with a thin tip has a relatively low 

 oil- and protein-content, and usually a lower vitality. 



