Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-10-18
ON CORN JUDGING.
FRANK CRITICISM OF THE CORN
EXHIBIT AT THE RECENT
koRN kARNivAL.

FOR JUDGING CORN
Ralph Hofrnann, One Of the Judges At
the Recent Contest, Writes Of the
Exhibit and Tells of Rules Which
Govern Corn Judging.
That the biggest ear of corn is not
always the best was one of the sur.
prises in store for few of the ex-
'hfbitors of corn at, the recent Korn
Karnival held in this city. The wide
spread attention attracted by the big
display Of corn aroused an unusual
interest in the corn contests and the
disappointment experienced by some
of the exhibitors who showed the
largest ears and yet lost out when It
came to the distribution of the cash
prizes win make of interest the rules
by which the corn was Judged and the
decisions announced.
Iowa has a regularly organized asso-
citation, composed of men who are vi
tally interested in the growth Of the
great Iowa staple. w. II, Warburton
of Independence is the president of
the association and ID. L, Pascal of
Dewitt is the secretary There is one
vice president for each of the con-.
gressional districts and George Steen3
CT West Liberty is the Vice president,
from the sixth district.
A Coming Contest.
This association holds annual corn
contests at Anes Agricultural college
and the next contest will be held Jan.
uary 2-14. while the short course in
stock and grain judging is in progress
at the school. The total value-of the
premiums offered at this contest is
$4,000. The fine exhibit made during
the Korn Karnival should encourage
the Wapello county farmers to study
up on the selection of corn and do
their best to bring to the attention of
the corn growers of the state the fact
that Wapello county is good for some
thing else aside from the mining of
COAL
The rules for corn Judging sas laid
down by the Iowa association of corn
growers governed in the Otturnwa con-
tests and these as well as some frank
criticism Of the recent exhibit have
been presented in an article prepared
by Ralph Hoffman, who owns the Hof-
mann farm near Hedrick and is we'll
known in this city. Mr.. Holman
made special study>of the subject Of
corn growing at the Ames school and
who was one Of the judges attthe Korn
Karnival exhibit.
The article is as follows:
"The display of agriculturaltproducts
at the recent Korn karnival gave to
the people of Wapello county an idea
Of the county's resources and the pos
sibilities that would come from the
proper selection and cultivation Of the
agricultural products. Undoubtedly
the display was fine, yetsthere is plen-
ty of room for criticism, ana especial
ly SO on the exhibit of corn.
ITO the experienced it was very
plain that the corn selected for the
exhibit showed that the majority Of
exhibitors were not well informed as to
just what constitutes good ear. 1t Is
with the hope of giving few
suggestions that this criticism is given
SO that on future occasions exhibitors
might show their products to better
advantage. The greatest fault was
that the majority Of the exhibitors
possessed the idea that the largest
corn was the best, a very bad idea.
Such vital points as type, shape, pur-
| ity and per cent Of corn were all sac
rifced for size.
"The object Of corn judging is to de.
termine which exhibit of corn VIII
make the best seed corn, and not
| which is the largest corn. BY the best
seed corn is meant that which will
yield the most corn of the highes1s1ual-
ity, either for feeding or for ,narket
and as consequence is the m'I,t prof
table to grow. The method Of Judging
consists in comparing the SAMPLES of
corn with the standard seal 4, of points,
which is supposed to con ibine all the
qualifications Of the bert seed corn;
viz, first those points tlEat insure high
quality for consumptiorl. such as sound.
ness, maturity, ETC.; second. such as
insure good yield, rs size uniformity
and shape OF ears, 'fell filled butts and
| tips, pei SSii' VI 1JIll, GLC., anu IHlTu
If the corn is classified as pure bred
or as yellow ard white corn, such as
trueness to cfJior and type according
to standards of that variety must be
considered.
Why Large Corn is Not the Best.
Gin the live stock world it is vel
known '.act that freaks" or sports
possess dng uncommonly large size are
seldorA used for breeding purposes by
the hndicious breeder, from the fac!
that they very seldom reproduce them
selves and what is true with live
sock is true with corn. Those nam
] moth ears Of corn on exhibit would nc
more reproduce themselves to any
|, great extent, than an exceptionally
large potato would produce all large
: potatoes. When we get any produc
of exceptional size we lose quality ant
i. when we lose quality we lose the mos
+ vital consideration Another fault with
the exhibits was the lack of trueness
: to color. Good corn in both classes Of
the yellow and white varieties had tt
be disqualified because the Judges