CORN GROWERS* ASSOCIATION, 93 



They have registering thermometers in all these stations, giving thf 

 temperature every hour of the day. The registering thermometer in 

 the seed house without heat went to 24 degrees below zero. In other 

 words, that cold snap brought the germination in the open crib from 92 

 to 68, in the unheated seed house from 94 to 86, and the germination in 

 the heated seed house remained the same. Now they took ten gather- 

 ings from these different varieties at the four stations and planted 

 them in plots, the gathering extending from the middle of September 

 to the middle of January. In the field the difference in germination 

 was more noticeable than it was in the germination at Washington. Not 

 only was the germination of the open crib very poor, but the vigor with 

 which the corn grew that did sprout was very poor — it lacked vigor 

 and color and strength, and the germination in some of the rows from 

 the open crib went as low as 6 per cent — practically killed it all. The 

 heated seed houses germinated about 94 and the unheated seed house 

 germinated about 80. They are going to continue this experiment, and 

 the data they get later on will be more valuable. I think, however, it 

 will result just about the same as it has. I think the heated seed houses 

 are essential, but I think that the temperature of the corn should not be 

 allowed to drop below 10 or 20 degrees above zero. Mr. Hartley, in 

 a paper read before the American Corn Breeders' Association last year, 

 made this statement: That from the kiln-dried corn (this experiment 

 extends over a period of three years), they received a yield exceeding 

 the natural dried corn over 15 bushels per acre; that is, the kiln-dried 

 corn yielded 15 bushels more per acre than the natural dried corn. Now, 

 I don't know whether he kept the temperature up above the freezing 

 point or not, but that was the statement he made. 



Now, for the ordinary farmer, I think the best method for him to 

 gather his seed corn is to go out early and pick a few ears that are of 

 the proper size and of the right uniformity, and hang them up above 

 the driveway in the barn, where they will get all the ventilation possi- 

 ble, and before damaging weather comes on place them in the house. 

 You can put them in the house some place where they will be out of 

 the way and where the temperature will be kept normal. 



DISCUSSION. 



Mr. : What about that kiln-dried corn yielding 15 bush- 

 els more to the acre than the natural dried corn? What was the reason 

 for that? 



Mr. Funk : The vitality is stronger and germination more sponta- 

 neous. 



