The Prescott daily news., 1912-03-07

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 a white va riety and the Golden Glow a yellow variety. It 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.
 It 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 dium 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 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 tral Illinois would differ in many re- spects from the shape most desirable for Wisconsin. The shorter growing season in Wisconsin demands a shal- lower kernel and a smaller ear to en- able the corn to mature 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 CT discolored kernels.
 The color of the cob should be a
 
 pure white for white corn.
 The color of the corn varies with the breed. The Silver King corn has cream color, while the Boone Coun- ty White has a pearly white color. Where these shades predominate they become characteristic of the breeds. Yellow breeds vary slightly in color fr-Dr, vNoJA rn11 tN and can only be known by thorough acquaintance.
 A bright cherry red cob denotes health and vigor in corn and pale or dark red cob denotes lack of constitu- tion or vitality. The white corn cobs should be glistening white and not 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 1t is merely 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.
 When corn is scored from the feed er's standpoint 1t 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 of stand we see the value of considering the market condition from the growers standpoint in a critical way. .'*a "''
 Corn will gradually become accus- toned to it's surroundings and win ad- just itself to varying conditions of soil and climate. By selecting those ears for seed that show good market con Jition, even if there be but a few in the entire field. the earIlness of the