THE SEED. 40 
of germination temperatures for corn at the 
New York experiment station.* These germi- 
nation tests were conducted in boxes where 
the temperature was uniformly under control. 
Seeds of dent corn germinated at as low a tem- 
perature as 43.4 deg. F., after 255 hours, prob- 
ably the lowest temperature recorded for this 
seed up to this time. In reporting upon the 
general results of his trials in 1584, Sturtevant 
Says:7 
“First, all the kernels of an ear do not germinate with 
equal ease or with the same increment of temperature; 
second, that there is a difference in the time and temperature 
required between some of the agricultural species of maize; 
third, that the dent corns germinate at a temperature of 
47.6 deg. F., or slightly below; flints at a temperature of 47.8 
deg. F., or slightly below; pops and softs ditto; while sweets 
required 48.5 deg. F., or slightly below; fourth, that the 
increment of temperature required in our trials was far 
greater for the sweets than for the other agricultural species.” 
Under the same conditions of temperature 
the dents germinate first, flints second, pops 
and softs next and sweets last, the range being 
from 168 to 228 hours. 
As observed farther on in the chapter on 
planting a soil temperature of from 50 to 60 deg. 
F., will justify planting. While the seed may 
germinate at below this, the chances are that 
it will decay, or the young plants make a most 
* New York agricultural experimentstation. Report 1884, 
p- 118, and report 1885, p. 64. 
j Lbid., pp. 123-124. 
4 
