Edible Products. 



214 



[September, 1910. 



Poor corn crops are usually attributed 

 to unfavourable weather conditions, and 

 frequently this is a true cause, for there 

 are few seasons in which corn does not 

 suffer during some stage of its growth. 

 The most that the farmer can do is to 

 make the best possible use of the condi- 

 tions as they exist. There are, however, 

 many things which are or may be put 

 directly under the control of the farmer; 

 and if these are thoroughly looked after 

 the yield may be doubled in the course of 

 a few years. These things may be consi- 

 dered under three heads : (1) the improve- 

 ment of seed, (2) the improvement of the 

 soil, and (3) the improvement of methods 

 of cultivation. 



Improvement op Seed. 

 The first of these ways of increasing 

 yields is perhaps the most important ; 

 more so as it is the least expensive and 

 the most likely to be overlooked. 



No man would question the statement 

 that to get a good yield it is first neces- 

 sary to get as nearly a perfect stand of 

 strong vigorous plants as is possible. It 

 is readily seen that if a farmer gets but 

 80 per cent, of his seed to germinate, 

 which is to say he gets but 80 per cent, 

 of a perfect stand, his yield would be 

 decreased 20 per cent, even if all other 

 conditions are favourable. This failure 

 to germinate may be due to many causes, 

 such as injury to the corn in storing or 

 the use of poorly developed ears or 

 grains. Deterioration of vitality may 

 result from bad selection just as much 

 as the reverse may be the result of good 

 selection. 



Next, the yield is influenced by the 

 number, size, and character of the ears 

 borne by the plants, and so it is evident 

 that one must attempt to raise plants 

 with the most desirable ears possible as 

 well as use sound seed. In this connec- 

 tion it may be well to first describe 

 what might be considered a good ear. 



The ear should be cylindrical in shape 

 and well rounded at each end, as this form 

 affords the largest per cent, of grain 

 per ear as well as kernels of the most 

 uniform shape. The cob should be 

 medium size, of bright colour, and pos- 

 sess the property of drying well, so as to 

 be of light weight. The kernels should 

 fit comparatively together throughout 

 their entire length on both sides and 

 edges. They should be slightly wedge- 

 shaped looking at them fVom the flat 

 side, and when looking at them from 

 the edge the sides should be nearly 

 parallel. The length of the kernsls 

 should be equal to one-half the diameter 

 of the cob. Soft, chaffy kernels, though 

 long, are not desirable, neither are ker- 



nels with prolonged chaffy caps. It is 

 much better to select for long kernels 

 than for smallness of cob. The germ 

 should be large, smooth, and firm. 



The ratio of the length to the circum- 

 ference of the corn should be about 10 

 to 7, and is measured at a point one- 

 third of the distance from the butt to 

 the tip, 



A good score card for the purpose 

 of judging corn might be made as 

 follows :— 



Perfect 

 score. 



1. Shape of ears (cylindrical, 



srtaight rows, proportion of 

 length to circumference) ... 10 



2. Length of ears (conforming 



to standard) . . 5 



3. Circumference (conforming to 



standard) ... 5 



4. Colour, grain not mixed ... 5 



5. Colour of cob ... 5 



6. Butts well filled ... 5 



7. Tips well filled ... 5 



8. Kernels (wedge-shaped) ... 5 



9. Kernels (deep and long) ... 5 



10. Space between rows ... 5 



11. Space between kernels ... 5 



12. Germ large in proportion to 



starch ... 10 



13. Market condition ... 10 



14. Vitality ; bright, well-matured, 



firm and cob ... 10 



15. Soundness, freedom from in- 



jury ... 10 



Total ... 100 



There are two methods open to the 

 grower by which he may improve the 

 quality of his corn. 



One is by field selection and the other 

 is by planting in a breeding plat espe- 

 cially set aside for the purpose. 



The first consists in selecting in the 

 field the ears which come most nearly 

 up to the standard, selecting them from 

 the best and strongest plants, and using 

 them for seed of the next year's crop. 

 If this practice is thoroughly followed 

 out, the grower will in the course of a 

 few years find a very marked improve- 

 ment in the condition of his crop. 



The second method is similar to the 

 first, except that the selection may be 

 more rigidly carried out, and as the 

 grower is not relying on this crop for 

 anything except seed to improve his 

 corn, he cuts out from time to time any 

 weak or undesirable plants before they 

 flower, so that they may not pollinate 

 the flowers of the better plants and 

 thus tend to retard their progress. 



