369 

 IV. Butt, Middle, and Tip Kernels for Seed. 



It is a common practice in selesting seed corn to discard 

 the kernels growing at the tip and butt ends of the ear. To 

 obtain more light on the advisability of this practice, the 

 experiment recorded below was undei taken. 



There were selected good, well filled ears of Experiment 

 Station Yellow corn, a variety with ears of medium size, and 

 usually a single ear to the stalk. From each ear the grains 

 which grew within one inch of the tip end were shelled to 

 obtain tip kernels for planting. Likewise kernels growing 

 within an inch of the butt end were obtained. Near the 

 center of the ear, a space of one inch was shelled to obtain 

 middle kernels for planting. 



The field used for this experiment was divided into nine 

 plots, each one-ninth acre in area. 



Three plots were planted with butt grains, three with 

 middle grains, and three with tip grains, the arrangement 

 of plots being such as co distribute equally to all classes of 

 seed any advantage due to differences in the fertility of 

 different plots. 



Preparation of land, fertilization, and culture were the 

 same for all plots. The yields from all three kinds of seed 

 were poor, the unusually severe drought causing an undue 

 • proportion of nubbins and poorly filled ears. 



Yield of shelled corn produced by seed corn from middle, 

 butt, and tip of ear. 



Kind of Seed. 



Yield corn 



per 



acre. 



Grain in 



unshucked 



corn. 



Bus. Per cent. 



Middle kernels (average of 3 plots) 11.7 68.3 



Butt kernels ( do ) 12.6 69.2 



Tip kernels ( do ) 12 7 70.1 



The differences in yield are probably too small to point 

 to the superiority of the kernels from any particular part of 

 the ear. There is certainly no evidence here that the re- 



