82 ELEMENTS OF FARM PRACTICE 



This little plantlet, or germ, is very similar to any plant. 

 Freezing, under certain conditions of moisture, will kill it. 

 This germ can stand freezing only when quite dry, as when 

 in this condition it is dormant. Trees and other plants 

 that live from year to year are very liable to be killed by 

 cold winter weather, if kept growing until late in the fall. 

 Under normal conditions such plants stop growing several 

 weeks before cold weather sets in; which gives them a chance 

 to ''harden up" or, as we might say, "ripen." It is evident, 

 then, that, if we would keep our seed corn in good condi- 

 tion, it must be so handled as to prevent injury to the germ 

 in each kernel. 



Keep Dry. — The first essential is to select the seed ears 

 before they have a chance to freeze in the field, for many 

 times the corn may not become sufficiently ripe to be thor- 

 oughly dry; and if not dry, freezing injures the germ. After 

 the husk has been removed, the ear will dry out rapidly, 

 if placed where it has an opportunity to do so. Seedsmen 

 appreciate the necessity of drying seed corn immediately, 

 and they store it in a room in such a way that air can circu- 

 late about it freely and thus carry off the moisture. They 

 very often use artificial heat, as stove or furnace heat, to 

 assist in this drying operation. 



Storing. — ^A farmer, as a rule, saves only a small 

 amount of corn and cannot afford a :^pccial storehouse for 

 it. Probably the most satisfactory way of drying corn and 

 keeping it dry, on the farm, is to store it in the attic over 

 the kitchen. Here ventilation can be supplied by opening 

 windows, and the heat from the kitchen stove assists in 

 drying out the corn and in keeping it dry. A basement in 

 which there is a furnace, so that the corn will be kept dry 

 and so that there will be good ventilation is also a very 

 good place for seed corn. Where one does not have these 

 facilities or has more corn than one can store in an attic or 

 dry basement satisfactorily, it may be placed on a barn 

 floor or in a vacant room in the house or other building. It 

 should not be piled over eight to ten inches deep, as it may 

 heat or sweat, if piled deeper. Good circulation of air 

 should be supplied, as this aids in drying the corn, and it 

 is very essential that it be .thoroughly dried before cold 



