116 SOUTHERN FIELD CROPS 



avoid the excessive injury inflicted by weevils on varieties 

 with very soft grains. 



(3) Tight and complete covering of shuck around the 

 tip of the ear, to retard the entrance of weevils and to 

 prevent injury from wet weather (Figs. 66 and 67). 



(4) Ears falling or bending down, so as to escape severe 

 injury from wet weather. 



(5) Ears at medium height from the ground, so that the 

 stalk may not be so easily Ijlown or pulled down as if the 

 ears were high. 



(6) Small or medium-sized cobs, to decrease the danger 

 from rotting in the field or in the crib. 



(7) Ear-shank of only moderate length and size. 



(8) Uniformitj^ in character of plant and ear, this being 

 usually an indication of puritj- and of careful breeding. 



104. Qualities accompanying high yield. — The follow- 

 ing characteristics usually accompany large j-ields of grain 

 in varieties adapted to the South : — 



(1) A tendency to produce two ears per stalk; 



(2) A small or medium-sized cob, long grains of a wedge 

 shape, and a rather high percentage of grain; 



(3) Medium or late maturity. 



105. General considerations regarding varieties. — 

 The color of the grain is not of importance in the case 

 of a varietj^ intended for stock-food. However, for the 

 making of corn meal, the Southern markets prefer white 

 corn. Among white corns, there is a slight preference 

 among millers for the varieties ha^-ing white cobs. The 

 reason for this is the experience of some millers that in 

 the case of varieties with red cobs, the reddish scales from 

 the tip oi the grain are not all removed Ijy cleaning machin- 



