CORN JUDGING 8l 



tarn conditions of shape that all kernels must fill. The 

 ideal is the wedge shape. In such cases the kernels set 

 in a cob will fill up all of the available space on the 

 ear and will allow of the development of deep kernels. 

 If the kernels are square they will angle and a space 

 between the rows of kernels will result. A broad, 

 square kernel is usually shallow and only a few rows 

 of kernels can be held on each cob. This means a 

 small percentage of corn to cob. On the other hand, a 

 wedge-shaped kernel is usually found on an ear with a 

 large number of rows of kernels and resulting in a 

 large percentage of corn to cob. The sides of the ker- 

 nels should be straight. In some cases the corners of 

 the kernels will usually be broad and shallow, and 

 there will be only a few rows of kernels in the ear. 

 This sort of kernels is the flinty type and is early ma- 

 turing. In judging the shape it is a good plan to take 

 out two kernels from each ear from about the middle 

 of the ear and lay them out in front of the ear. Push 

 out in a separate row the ill-shaped kernels and deter- 

 mine the marking by the proportion of well-shaped 

 kernels. 



Kernel Uniformity — The uniformity of kernels 

 can be determined largely by an examination of the 

 ears. The kernels should be of the same size in all 

 parts of the ear with the exception of the egg-shaped 

 rounded tip. The kernels of the different ears should 

 be of the same size and have the same general charac- 

 ter of indentation. The marking on this point is largely 

 a matter of judgment and cannot be guided by any 

 set rule. 



Space between rows is the furrows formed by the 

 rounding off of the tops of the kernels. It is not, as is 

 generally supposed, the space found on immature ears 

 or ears where the rows of kernels are loose. The ear 

 with space is usually firm and well matured, but the 



