SELECTING BEST EARS FOR SEED 97 
grow quickly in the spring providing the germ has not been 
injured by hard freezing weather. 
In selecting seed corn from the field, choose only those 
ears showing the same degree of maturity. Select all early 
or all medium ears, depending on your requirements. The 
earliest maturing ears from a field will average smaller in 
size than ears of medium maturity. We believe that most 
of the corn grown in the corn belt matures too late to 
produce the greatest number of bushels of sound corn. (All 
elevators, at present, grade corn on the basis of the moisture 
1 2 3 4 5 6 
VARIATION IN SIZE OF KERNELS 
Since it is impossible to so adjust the planter as to ‘drop these different sized 
kernels with uniformity, all ears like the four on the left shoul ld be 
discarded. Ear 1 is uniform, but the kernels are too small, 
Ears 5 and 6 have uniform kernels of the proper size. 
it contains.) On the other hand, the period of maturity 
cannot be shortened to any great extent without reducing 
the average weight of the ears. In view of these two facts, 
we are firmly convinced that the best corn for general pur- 
poses is that which will utilize practically the entire growing 
season, and mature safely before it is damaged by freezing. 
Maturity is determined by the dryness of the stalk leaves 
and by the firmness of the ears and grain. 
