418 
Journal of Agricultural Research 
Vol. XXVIII, No. 5 
growth. Observations made in Virginia and Maine, however, indicate that in 
general no significant differences exist in toughness of corns which have reached 
canning maturity under the two sets of climatic and seasonal conditions. Appar¬ 
ent differences due to inherent characteristics of strains which have been touched 
upon above are considered as apart from this particular phase of the subject. 
Fia. 4—Curves illustrating the increase in toughness of kernels of Golden Bantam, Dreer’s Golden Giant, 
Charlevoix, and Crosby sweet corns with increase of maturity 
CHEMICAL STUDIES 
During the growth and development of the ear of corn the products of metab¬ 
olism are transferred to the kernel where they are utilized in part in tissue build¬ 
ing and in part are laid down as storage materials. The transformations under¬ 
gone in these processes and the nature and amount of these changes account for 
the differences in quality of corns at various stages of maturity. As concerned 
in these activities a number of organic substances may be mentioned such as 
crude fiber and other carbohydrates, fats and allied substances, proteins, and 
those substances which give characteristic flavor, the chemical nature of which 
is not known. 
