434 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



In 1897 it was found that when the corn was nearly ripe less than half 

 of the dry matter was in the ears, the other half being about equally 

 divided between the stalks and the leaves. 



One way of preserving the fodder in good shape for feeding is to put 

 both ears and fodder into the silo. As to the stage of ripeness at which the 

 crop should be cut, the results of the experiments carried on in 1896 and 

 1897 go to show that the maximum yield of dry matter and nutrients is 

 obtained by allowing the crop to mature until the ears are well glazed. 

 Between the time when the kernels begin to glaze and full ripeness there 

 is a gain of over one-eighth in dry matter, one-sixth in starch, sugar and 

 other carbohydrates and one-fifth in fat. The study of the losses in the 

 silo go to show that there may be a danger of allowing the corn to stand 

 too long, especially in hot and dry weather, making the silage too dry to- 

 secure the proper fermentation. No regular and consistent variation in 

 extent of loss was noted which could be related to the age of the com 

 when cut. 



SELECTION OF THE SEED. 



It is the usual practice at the Station to carefully select the seed corn 

 in the autumn, as far as possible, before the crop is cut. The reason for 

 selecting at this time is that the corn is used largely for the silo and it is 

 therefore important to have well grown stalks as well as large and fully 

 ripened ears. While the plants are standing, it is not difficult, when 

 passing along between two rows, to pick out the large stalks, bearing 

 ears of the typical shape, of early maturity and filled out at both butt 

 and tip. At the time of husking and thereafter the ear alone is regarded, 

 which is not sufficient for our purpose. 



The seed corn is dried out rapidly before frost and kept in a warm,, 

 dry room during the winter. The value of the seed depends as well upon 

 this thorough drying before freezing as upon the first careful selection. 

 At the time of selection, part of the husks are left on some of the ears 

 any by tying or braiding the husks of separate ears together a string of 

 them is made which is fastened to the rafters to escape the depredations 

 of mice and rats. From most of the seed corn the husks are entirely re- 

 moved and the ears are placed upon slatted platforms, suspended by wire 

 from the ceiling of the seed room and there are thoroughly dried. By 

 treating the seed corn in this way, a high per cent of germination is secured 

 as well as strong vitality in the young plants. 



A third important factor enters into the value of the seed, viz., the char- 

 acter of the season. If the season has been such as to thoroughly mature 

 the crop until the kernels are well filled out, packed tightly together on 

 the cob and are fully ripe, the crop grown from such seed will be larger 

 than if the seed is defective in any of these particulars. 



To illustrate this point, a lost was made in Field 8, of the College farm 

 in 1897. Two plots 94 rods long and wide enough to contain, each, four 

 rows, -12 inches apart, were planted, the one with seed corn grown in 1895 

 and the other with seed from the crop of 1896, (lie previous year. The 

 treatment of the seed had been identical after harvesting but. in 189.", the 

 crop was fully ripened while, in 1896, the weather was wet and cold just 

 prior to corn harvest and although the seed was selected with care it was 

 impossible to find as fully matured ears as were found in 1895. The two 



