696 ANNUAL. REPOB.T OF THE Off. Doc. 



stand it, from reports that have come in from all over the country, 

 the corn that was intended for seed last year is immature and 

 mouldy, and hence, the question of seed corn is a very important 

 one, at least so far as its supply is concerned. Perhaps we can't 

 help that now, but we must take into consideration some of the 

 points that will help us to avoid it in the future. We will therefore 

 take up the question of the corn for seed. 



There are several important qualities for corn that is to be used 

 for seed, and one of the most important, if not the most important, 

 is maturity. If seed corn is not sufficiently mature when taken 

 from the plant — not necessarily dry, but mature — it will not be 

 of any service for seed for the coming year. This applies with em- 

 phasis to Pennsylvania corn. One of the greatest difficulties we 

 have in Pennsylvania is to get varieties of corn that will mature 

 under our climatic condition. Many people have to depend on 

 immature corn, because we are apt to get varieties that are too 

 long maturing in our climate. Now, the conditions being such 

 'that we will probably have to buy seed corn this coming year, it is 

 important that we should know something about these conditions 

 especially in regard to maturity. I will say more about this a little 

 later, and then you can take up an ear, and note its quality for 

 seed conditions. 



I have here an ear of seed corn that I open this way with my 

 fingers, indicating that that corn is not dry enough or has not reach- 

 ed a state of sufficient maturity for seed corn. When you take an 

 ear of corn like this, it shows very well that it has not been kept 

 in a warm, dry place. I can't tell whether its vitality has been en- 

 tirely destroyed, but it is quite certain that it will not be a good seed 

 ear. When it is loose on the cob in this way, it either indicates 

 absolute immaturity, or that after its ripening period it has not 

 been kept in a warm place, under conditions that insure its quality 

 as seed corn. 



One of the indications of immaturity is when the ear has a chaffy 

 appearance, and when we find the grain set very short; that also 

 shows it has not reached full maturity. Another indication of im- 

 maturity is when you look at the kernels, and you find them more 

 or less wrinkled, and more or less dull yellow, indicating that the 

 kernel, which has a high percentage of oil, has begun to deteriorate. 

 So, altogether, we have a number of indications that will give us 

 an idea of the most important features, because if immature, it 

 will not give us a good crop. 



The next question is vitality. We may have an ear of corn that 

 is sufficiently matured and properly kept through the winter, yet 

 its vitality may be very materially injured by freezing and improper 

 conditions during winter keeping. I would advise you next sum- 

 mer to go through your neighbor's corn field, and estimate the stand- 

 ard of his corn. I don't advise you to go through your own, be- 

 cause you are going to have a good stand. Last year I went through 

 a corn field that was planted by a very good farmer, a man, who 

 has good culture methods, and I counted three rows, each three 

 hundred feet long, making nine hundered feet of row. This corn 

 had been planted with a drill, and planted about a foot apart; at 

 least that is how he intended to plant it. As a matter of fact, they 

 were on an average about eighteen inches apart, making a loss of 



