6 The Bulletin. 



into two equal parts. One part was well dried and kept dry during the 

 winter in a seed house and the other kept in an ordinary 'corn crib. 

 On rich bottom land the well preserved seed produced 18 bushels more 

 per acre than the cribbed seed; while on poor upland, the well pre- 

 served seed produced 7 bushels more per acre than the cribbed seed. 

 The cribbed seed germinated as well as the well preserved seed, but the 

 resulting plants were less thrifty and less productive." 



It is thus highly important that the seed corn be kept with great care 

 through the winter months. 



GERMINATION TEST. 



Every farmer wants to know what per cent of his corn is capable of 

 coming up, before he puts it into the ground. Some weeks before plant- 

 ing, therefore, the seed corn should always be put through the germi- 

 nation test. This may be done in different ways. Each ear may be 

 shelled separately and ten grains put in moist soil or on moist blot- 

 ting paper and kept in a warm place till they sprout. Note carefully 

 how many of these ten grains, taken at random, make a good, vigorous 

 germination, sending out both root and leaf. Another method allows 

 all the seed corn to be shelled and a sample of one hundred grains taken 

 at random and put in the test. In the first case the number of grains 

 germinating multiplied by ton will give the per cent of germination 

 secured. For example: if six grains out of the ten make a good germi- 

 nation this would equal a germination of 60 per .cent. In the latter 

 case the actual number of grains in the hundred that germinated would 

 represent the percentage of germination secured. Note carefully the 

 strength and rigor of germination, since some grains have enough 

 vitality to barely germinate, but not enough to make much farther 

 growth. It is much better to make a germination test of each ear, as by 

 this method you can pick out and discard any that have low vitality, 

 whereas this could not be done if all the ears were shelled together. 



PLANTING. 



Date of Planting. 



The best time for planting corn will vary with the locality. In 

 general, it is better to defer planting in favor of thorough preparation 

 of the seed bed than to rush the seed into the ground while it is yet cold 

 and damp from the frosts of winter. A good warm seed bed is very 

 essential to the prompt germination and rapid early growth of the corn 

 plant, and this condition cannot be obtained when the crop is planted 

 too early. Again, early planted corn, unless planted very early, is 

 generally more subject to the depredations of cut-worms and other insect 

 pests, especially when planted on sod land, than when planted later. 



Depth of Planting. 



Early planted corn should not be planted so deep as that nlanted 

 later in the season, since early in the spring the ground is cold and 

 germination is more sluggish. As the season advances the depth of 

 planting may be increased. 



When the seed bed has been properly prepared, furrows should be 

 run some five to six inches deep, leavino; four to five inches of loose 



