The white rice, nearly a mean between the red rice and the Queen's golden, contained about 4,000 grains to the pound. It would thus take about three pounds of this variety to plant an acre. The rice pops are nearly square in cross section, while the pearl and golden are considerably wider than thick.

Pop maize has been reported from Ottawa, Canada, in North America to Peru in South America, and the evidence indicates a prehistoric culture. At present it is extensively grown for human consumption when popped. The season in the United States is reported for different varieties and climates from seventy to 146 days; usually from ninety to 135 days. The white rice variety is most commonly used by commercial growers.

241. Flint Maize is that type in which the split grain shows the embryo and the white endosperm with the glossy endosperm surrounding. The position of the glossy endosperm usually prevents the grain from denting, but when glossy endosperm is thin, the shrinkage of the white endosperm may cause a slight dent. The internal structure serves to distinguish it from the dent type.

The plant varies in height from four to nine feet; usually from five to eight feet. The tendency to be two-eared is considerably stronger than in the dent varieties. As compared with dent varieties, the ears are longer relative to their diameter and are rather more cylindrical, with often a tendency to enlargement at the butt. Ears vary in length from four to twelve, even six1 U. S. Dept. of Agr., O. E. S. Bul. 57, pp. 15-16.

teen, inches; usually seven to ten inches, with specimen ears twelve inches long not uncommon. The diameter varies from

one and one-quarter to two inches; usually from one and threeeighths to one and five-eighths inches. The number of rows on the ear varies from eight to sixteen, with eight rows the most common. Twelve-rowed varieties are more common than tenrowed. A good ear of an eight-rowed variety will weigh from six to seven ounces.

The grains are hard, smooth, and more or less oval, with usually white or golden orange grains, although purple, brown and copper red sometimes occur. In the eight-rowed varieties the typical grain is one-half inch broad by three-eighths inch deep; when more than eight-rowed, three-eighths inch broad and deep; in thickness, all are about one-sixth of an inch. The average weight of 100 grains of an eight-rowed variety is about thirty-three grams, or about 1,400 to the pound.

This type is reported maturing at 50° north latitude.1 The season varies from ninety to 140 days, 100 to 120 days being the most common. On account of its early maturity, this type is largely and principally grown in the New England States, New York State, Canada and regions of similar climatic conditions for field purposes; rarely a variety is grown for garden purposes.

Following is a list of varieties of flint maize recommended principally for grain production by the stations indicated, including, where possible, the color of the grain of each and the number of years tested:

1 U. S. Dept. of Agr., O. E. S. Bul. 57, p. 16.

242. Dent Maize is that type in which the split grain shows the embryo, the glossy endosperm on each side, and the white endosperm extending to the top. The grain is indented on the top, evidently because the soft endosperm shrinks in the central portion as the grain ripens, while the denser endosperm holds the sides in a straight line. The relative position and amounts of the soft and dense endosperm cause differences in the character and extent of indentation, varying from a ragged dent or projecting flap to a mere dimple or circular depression. Occasionally the grains toward the tip of the ear do not indent, although retaining their dent structure. While there is a wide variation due to climate, season, soil and variety (210), the plant usually varies in height from eight to twelve feet, generally bears but one ear and is not given to suckering unless thinly planted. This type is characterized for its deep grains, rather large diameter of ears and large number of rows, as high as fortyeight rows having been reported for individual ears. Variety differences range from eight to twenty-four rows, sixteen to twenty being the most common. Ears vary in length from five to thirteen inches, and in diameter from one and one-half to two and one-half inches. A good sized ear is eight to nine inches long and from six and one-half to seven inches in circumference at two-fifths its length from the butt. Ten inches is rather long for a dent ear, while seven inches is a good length for smaller

Dent maize: ear one-third natural size;

grain about natural size.

varieties. It is a good ear that weighs three-fourths of a pound. It takes about 100 good ears to make a bushel of shelled maize. One hundred ears of early maturing dent maize will weigh about fifty pounds; of medium maturing, sixty-five pounds; and of late maturing, eighty pounds. One hundred selected ears will weigh sixty, seventy-five and ninety pounds respectively.

Usually the grains are wedge-shaped and deeper than broad. A typical dent grain is five-eighths of an inch deep by three eighths broad and one-sixth of an inch thick. The most common colors are yellow and white, although red grains or those striped with red or similar colors occur in some varieties. Sports of this sort are not uncommon in yellow and white varieties and in some instances this character has been fixed by selection. There is considerable variation in weight of grain: a range of thirty-five to forty-five grams per 100 grains, or from 1,000 to 1,300 grains per pound, is common.

The season ranges from ninety to 150 or even 160 days. There is a wide variation in the same variety in different latitudes and different seasons in the same latitude. In the maize belt States early varieties usually mature from 100 to 115 days, medium varieties from 110 to 135 days and late varieties from 130 to 145 days in ordinary seasons. Dent and flint types furnish all the commercial grain of maize, as well as practically all of the maize fodder and maize ensilage. Only a small fraction of the total is furnished by the flint type.

243. Description of a Good Dent Ear.-While variety differences are permissible, there are certain characteristics that are more or less desirable in all varieties. It should be borne in mind that while these ideal characteristics are desirable, other things being equal, their lack of perfection may not prevent a variety from producing high yields or having in other particulars desirable qualities. Cows without horns are desirabie, but this does not prevent cows with horns being good milkers. The ear should taper uniformly from butt to tip and should be as near