22 The Buj.letix. 



for such a form not only "wastes space at the cob and restricts the 

 size of the germ," but indicates inferior quality and low vitality. 

 The wedge-shaped kernel is the one that fills more compactly than 

 any other the space between the gTain rows. 



In Fig. S is shown good and bad forms of kernels. Kernels 1 and 

 12 are the best forms, while all the others are more or less poor. Also 

 in Fig. 9 is a proper-shaped kernel, jihotographed about four times 

 natural size. Its arrangement is shown on cob, Fig. 5 — 1. 



VITALITY OF SEED. 



The vitality of any seed is largely governed by their stage of 

 maturity when gathered, by vigor of the parent plant, and by the 

 care used in curing and storing them after harvest. As a general 

 rule, with some varieties the larger the seed, not only of corn, but all 

 crops, the larger the amount of reserve plant-food and the higher the 

 percentage of germination, and hence, the better the stand ; and low 

 germination resulting in a poor stand is often one of the most potent 

 causes for small yields. Large plump seed are generally grown on 

 strong, healthy plants. If possible, the seed corn should be gotten 

 together and its germination thoroughly tested before planting time 

 arrives. This can be done, after "nubbing'' the corn, by taking- 

 three or four grains from different portions of the ears, putting 

 them in moist sand in a plate, box, or some other receptacle and plac- 

 ing in a warm place. The space in which the seed from each ear are 

 placed should be marked in some way to correspond with the ear 

 from Avhich they were taken, and should be kept moist all the time, 

 but not soaking wet. All the seed corn might be tested in this way 

 with profit, and all those ears that showed a germination less than 

 ninety per cent should be discarded. If the farmer cannot do this 

 work himself, then he might interest his boys in it and let them do it. 

 They will in all probability take great interest in this work, which 

 may be done at night if necessary. This precaution is highly im- 

 portant, for, as a general rule, replants never amount to much. 



"nubbing" ears. 



Carefully conducted experiments have demonstrated that it is ad- 

 visable to "nub" corn before ])lantiug, for it has been found that 

 when seed from tlie tips and butts of oars are placed in oue plat and 

 by the side of it another plat is planted in kernels from the centers of 

 the same ears, that there is a larger percentage of dwarfed and bar- 

 ren stalks (in tlic jdat jdanted in tip and l>iitt kernels than from the 

 other, and hence less yield of shelled corn per acre. As both plats 

 were planted on the same type of soil and treated in the same way 

 by fertilization and cultivation, it is strongly jn-obable that the 



