The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1912-04-05


The first point in Judging seed corn
is to determine it's trueness to the type
or breed characteristics. There are
breeds of corn, like breeds of cattle,
which have peculiar colors or forms
which distinguish them; as for in
stance, the Silver King is white va
| riety and the Golden Glow yellow
| variety. 1t is difficult to distinguish
| between breeds of the same color,
but this may be learned by experience
in handling corn of different breeds.
In pure corn of any breed there are
| certain marks which can be easily
recognized.
! The ideal ear is cylindrical, conform
ing to the standard for the variety and
! not crooked or too tapering.
! 1t is as difficult to find an ear of
corn perfect in shape as it Is to find
| COWS, horses and sheep with perfect
| forms. The shape of ears Of the diff
ferent varieties of corn differ as
widely as the shape and form of the
different pure breeds Of cattle. Each
| class and variety has a characteristic
shape peculiar to itself. For example,
Silver King corn has an ear of me-
dunn length, large in circumference.
while the Golden Glow has an ear con-
siderably shorter and finer in cob and
| general conformation.
The most desirably shaped ear is
cylindrical from butt to tip. Where
ears are inclined to taper, it will be
| noticed that two or four rows, as a
rule, are dropped near the middle OF
the ear. In scoring corn, take into
consideration the soil and climatic con-
| ditions in which the corn is grown.
| The shape OF a desirable ear for cen
trail Illinois would differ in many re-
| spects from the shape most desirable
for Wisconsin. The shorter growing
| season in Wisconsin demands shall
| lower kernel and smaller ear to en-
able the corn to nature in a short
| season.
| The color of the grain should be uni
form and true to the color standard
for the variety, free from missing or
discolored kernels.
The color of the cob should be a
bright cherry red for yellow corn and
| pure white for white corn.
The color Of the corn varies with
the breed The Silver King corn has
a cream color, while the Boone Coun-
ty White has a pearly white color.
| Where these shades predominant they
| become characteristic of the breeds.
Yellow breeds vary slightly in color
from a pale yellow to a deep orange,
and can only be known by a thorough
! acquaintance.
A bright cherry red cob denotes
health and vigor in corn and pale or
dark red cob denotes lack of constitu-
ton or vitality. The white corn cobs
should be glistening white and not a
dead pale color.
| Some farmers prefer to grow corn of
certain colors. From tests made by
breeders of corn, and by experiment
| stations, it has been found that in
! general, color makes no difference so
far as feeding value is concerned, and
it is merely q matter of choice Of the
| grower as to the color of corn he de-
sires.
Market condition means general ex-
| cellence and the degree of ripeness or
maturity. Corn that shows tendency
! to be loose on the cob with wide
| spaces between the kernels should be
| scored off severely under market con-
| dition. Where market condition is
! perfect or nearly so the kernels are
firm on the cob and the ear gives a
rasping sound when twisted; the ker-
nels fit closely together upon the cob
and in the row.
When corn is scored from the feed
er's standpoint it is not cut SO severe
ly as from the growers or seedsman's
standpoint. When we consider that a
bushel Of corn plants about six acres
and realize the importance to be at
tached to uniformity Ct stand We see
the value Of considering the market
condition from the growers standpoint
in a critical way
No one head under which corn is
Judged is so important to Wisconsin
farmers as market condition, and all
farmers should be able to Judge corn
for the perfection Of that characters
tic. The utmost Importance is at
tached to market condition in carrying
on trial tests. as a variety of corn is
| of little value to community or d.
vision Of the state. If it does not prop
erly mature within the growing sea-
son.
Corn will gradually become accus-
toned to its surroundings and will ad-
just itself to varying conditions of soil
and climate. BY selecting those ears
for seed that show good market con-
dition, even if there be but few in
the entire field. the earliness of the
corn can be improved materially.
The kernels should extend over the
| tip OF the ear in regular rows, and be
uniform in size and shape. They should
extend over the butt of the ear in reg
ular rows and be we'll developed and
uniform.
A perfect tip has a central kernel
! called the cap, which is completely
surrounded with uniform kernels. A
perfect tip Is rarely found, but those
which come nearest to the ideal should
be chosen, provided it is not at the ex-
| Aansa ~ other moro imn0rfant fa cfor.