180 



SOILS AND PLANT LIFE 



so uniform as we desire, no matter how carefully the 

 seed ears have been chosen. There are three reasons 

 for this : 



(1) The kernels near the tips will be small. 



(2) The kernels about the butts will be large and more 

 or less irregular in size. 



(3) The average size of kernels on different ears will 

 varj' surprisingly. 



Because of the first two facts, the kernels about the 



Fig. 79. — Strong, weak, and dead kernels. Note that kernels 

 lacking the root sprout are accounted as dead, since they could not 

 grow. They would be regarded in the same way if the stem sprout 

 were lacking. 



butt and tip of each ear are shelled off and discarded before 

 removing the corn from the bodies of the ears. 



After this is done, it is necessary to grade the remaining 

 kernels as they are shelled. In doing this, three boxes 

 or measures are provided, in the first of wliich are to be 

 placed large kernels, in the second, kernels of medium 

 size, and in the third, those which are small. The ears 

 are shelled separatel}' into a pan, usually with a hand 

 sheller ; a glance is then sufficient to show whether 

 the kernels are of large, medium or small average size ; 



