98 PRACTICAL CORN CULTURE 
Ears should be taken only from those plants that are 
grown under normal conditions, no matter how vigorous the 
individual plant. Choose erect, strong, healthy plants. Select 
ears of a desirable height on the stalk. They should be 
neither too high or too low. We prefer ears of a height of 
“ee 
PLUMPNESS OF KERNELS AT GERM END 
Ears (see ear No. 1) with too much space between kernels at cob should 
not be used for seed purposes. Ears Nos. 2 and 3 are desirable 
about three feet. There is a marked hereditary tendency 
in the height of the ears on the stalks which makes it pos- 
sible, through selection, to have very tall stalks with the 
ears nearly touching the ground. This, however, is un- 
doubtedly an undesirable extreme. We are strongly of the 
opinion that the height of the ear on the stalk should be in 
proportion to the height of the stalk. Johnson, or Boone 
County White, corn produces a very tall stalk in this lati- 
tude and unless bred low more ears will be above four feet 
than under that height. Four feet is not an undesirable 
height for so heavy a stalk. 
In field selection, soundness and depth of kernel are 
