designated as types A to F, inclusive (PI. I) . Where the starch zones 
of the crowns and tips of the kernel were completely united and the 
kernel was entirely opaque to transmitted light, it was designated 
as type A, or starchy. Kernels of which three-fourths of the en- 
dosperm was starchy were designated as type B. Kernels in which 
half of the endosperm was starchy were classed as type C, and those 
in which about one-fourth of the endosperm was starchy represent 
type D. Kernels showing only a narrow band of starch at the crown 
were designated as horny, or type E, and a few strains in which prac- 
tically all of the endosperm was horny were designated as very 
horny, or type F. These types are shown in Plate I. 
With this classification it was easy to separate the character of 
starchiness from that of indentation, with which it has been too fre- 
quently confused. Starchiness is characteristic of chaffy, immature 
ears, but is not necessarily associated with normally matured ears 
of rough indentation. Ear types commonly encountered are illus- 
trated in Plate II. 
Most of the ears studied fell within the range of types C, D, and E. 
Some strains averaged " C " in composition, and some northern In- 
diana strains of Ninety-Day corn averaged " F " in composition, or 
very horny. The larger, later maturing strains grown in the south- 
ern part of the State seemed to show some tendency to be more 
starchy than those grown in the northern part. 
RELATION OF ENDOSPERM CHARACTER AND EAR INFECTION. 
The results of a study of the relation of ear composition to ear 
infection are shown in Table 1. This study was made upon repre- 
sentative ears supplied to this office for germination and field experi- 
ments during 1918 and 1919 by a number of the more prominent 
seed-corn growers of Indiana. On the basis of character of endo- 
sperm, the ears in each sample were separated into the two classes, 
starchy and horny, the dividing line being placed arbitrarily between 
types D and E. In studying the germination record of these ears, 
all ears were considered infected the kernels of which were charac- 
terized by growths of Fusariwn spp., Diplodia zeae, or Penicillium 
spp. when accompanied by disorganized tissue surrounding the scu- 
tellum in each of duplicate germination tests made upon the lime- 
stone-base table germinator, as described by Hoffer and Holbert. 1 
1 Hoffer, George N., and Holbert, J. R. Selection of disease-free seed corn. Ind. Agr. 
Exp. Sta. Bui. 224, 16 p., 20 fig., 1918. 
