Dec. i, 1925 Size of Sweet-Corn Kernels and Evenness of Maturity 1051 
At maturity, after all growth had stopped, there was still some 
difference in size between the stalks of the different grades, although 
not so much as there had been earlier in the season. The stalks from 
the large seed averaged 1.6 inches taller and 0.05 inch greater in 
diameter than those from the small seed and 0.6 inch taller and 0.02 
inch greater in diameter than those from the ungraded seed. 
By reference to Figure 1 it is apparent that stalks from the small 
seed showed no tendency to catch up with those from the large seed 
until after the large ones had almost matured their ears; consequently 
the ears from the small grade were later in maturing. This fact is 
emphasized by the data presented in Table III, which shows that 
when the corn from the large grade of seed was in full tassel only 
20 per cent from the small grade and 50 per cent from the ungraded 
seed had reached the tassel stage. Also, when the corn from the large 
seed was in full silk that from the small grade was only 10 per cent m 
silk and that from the ungraded seed but 25 per cent. Finally, when 
the ears on the stalks from large seed were harvested, 95 per cent 
were in the best canning stage, whereas but 15 per cent from tne small 
seed and 30 per cent from the ungraded seed had reached that stage. 
These data indicate that the variation in maturity of corn is due to 
the difference in size of the parent seed. 
Table III. — Summary of plant-growth data in sweet corn 
Grade of seed 
Average size of stalks 9 days of age: 
Height_____ 
Diameter______ 
Average size of same stalks at maturity: 
Height_____ 
Diameter______ 
Percentage of stalks in full tassel when large grade was in full tassel. 
Percentage of stalks in full silk when large grade was in full silk_ 
Percentage of corn mature when iarge grade was gathered_ 
Large 
Small 
Ungraded 
Inches 
Inches 
Inches 
13.2 
9.05 
11.15 
.173 
.125 
.150 
53.4 
51.8 
52.7 
.75 
.70 
.73 
100 
20 
50 
100 
10 
25 
95 
15 
30 
In yield per plant the stalks from large seed gave slightly more 
than those from small ones, which was occasioned by the fact that 
two yielded more than one ear. The size of the ears in each type was 
about the same. In the field test at Shelbyville the stalks from the 
large kernels yielded 1.3 times as much as those from the small ones. 
There was no difference in the number of tillers between the two 
types. The average number for the large seed was 2.13 and for the 
small seed, 2.15. 
The ears were examined to determine whether the size of the parent 
kernel influences the size of the kernel in the offspring, and it was 
found that the sizes varied in both types throughout the same range, 
the average being about the same. It was therefore concluded that 
the progeny of large kernels is just as desirable for packing as that 
from small ones. The Shelbyville test also demonstrated this fact, 
hence there is no objection to grading seed from this standpoint. 
