Abstract: Stalk rolls are used for a corn harvester having a body, an engine, a cab mounted to the body and a head mounted to a front of the body. The head includes an auger, row separators, corn stalk gathering assemblies between the row separators and ear removal devices. Each ear removal device includes a pair of stalk rolls. Each stalk roll has a core and longitudinally extending flutes spaced about a periphery of the core and extending along the core. Each stalk roll has a straight first section, a second section proximate a first end of the first section and having a first tapering profile, and a third section proximate the second section opposite the first section and having a second tapering profile.