FIELD CROPS. 



37 



Investigation of the vitality of Kansas seed corn, A. M. Ten PhcK {Kan- 

 sas Sta. ('in: S, i>p. //). — This circulnr roporls tlio results of serniiiiMtion tests of 

 siuuples of com submitted by farmers of 57 counties. The results iire shown in 

 the followiug table: 



Results of germination tests with Kansas seed corn. 



The average germination percentage of early gathered corn was nearly 7 

 per cent better than that of late gathered corn, but there was little difference in 

 vitality between late gathered seed and that from the shock. 



Corn judging': Studies of prominent ear characters in their relation to 

 yield, C. G. Williams and F. A. Wf:LTON (Ohio Sta. Bui. 212, i)i). 213-236, 

 figs. 9). — In a 5 years' comparison of long and short ears of corn as seed the 

 former produced the higher yield by 3.97 bu. per acre. In 1909, the average 

 difference in a test covering 5 varieties was 5.18 bu. No difference was 

 detected between the yield from long ears and those of medium length, the 

 lessened yield resulting from the use of short ears. 



Cylindrical ears produced an average yield of 1.08 bu. greater that that pro- 

 duced by tapering ears, in a test of 4 varieties, in 1909, while a 4 years' test 

 showed an average advantage for the tapering ears of 0.87 bu. 



IMats planted with seed from bare tipped ears yielded 0.42 bu. per acre more 

 than those planted with seed from well tipped ears. Seed selected from this 

 harvest showed in tlie-second year a dift'erence of 1.45 bu. in favor of the well 

 filled tips, and in the third year the difference was increased to 2.19 bu. The 

 seed ears with filled tips were shorter and heavier, had a slightly greater cir- 

 cumference and shelling percentage, and produced a crop having 16.4 per cent 

 more ears with filled tips. 



Plat yields showed a difference of 0.99 bu. in favor of rough dented ears in 

 1908, but of 2.17 bu. in favor of smooth dented ears in 1909. The smooth dented 

 ears averaged 1.2 oz. less in weight, 0.2 in. less in length, 0.5 in. less in circum- 

 ference, and 0.5 less in shelling percentage, but in the 5 years' ear row tests 

 had an average advantage in yield of 2.84 bu. per acre. 



Results with heavy and light seed ears confix'in those previously noted, 

 (E. S. R., 19, p. 332). Of 400 ears tested, the heaviest 40 per cent exceeded iu 

 average weight the lightest 40 per cent by 2.46 oz. per ear, and in an ear row 

 trial, produced a yield greater by 2.08 bu. per acre. In plat tests, the average 

 results for 2 years showed a difference of 1.93 bu. i)er acre in favor of the heavy 

 ears. Of the same 400 seed ears, the 40 per cent having the highest shelling 

 percentage produced average yields per acre 1.2 bu. lower than the 40 per cent 

 having the lowest shelling percentage. The shelling percentage of the harvest 

 was 4.1 per cent in favor of that from the ears having the higher shelling i)er- 

 centage. Among 200 ears, the 20 having the lowest shelling ix'rcentage excelled 



