FIELD CROPS 403 



pact butts meaning careful selection, and coarse, wide butts poor 

 selection. 



The tip of an ear should be well filled out to the end, and if 

 possible completely covered with kernels. Too much attention 

 should not be given to covered tips, however, as there are very few 

 ears that have them and they are usually the shorter ears. It is 

 better to have an ear of good size and length, properly proportioned 

 and bearing deep kernels well out to the end than a short ear with 

 a completely covered tip. Of course an ideal ear has completely 

 covered tip combined with the proper size, shape and quality, but 

 such ears are very rarely found. 



Treatment of Seed Immediately After Gathering. The same 

 day seed corn is gathered the husked ears should be put in a dry 

 place where there is free circulation of air, and placed in such a 

 manner that the ears do not touch each other. This is the only safe 

 procedure. Many farmers believe that their autumns are so dry 

 that such care is superfluous. Seed corn in every locality gathered 

 at ripening time will be benefited by drying as suggested. If left 

 in the husk long after ripening it may sprout or mildew during 

 warm, wet weather or become infested with weevils. 



The vitality of seed is often reduced by leaving it in a sack or 

 in a pile for even a day after gathering. During warm weather, 

 with some moisture in the cobs and kernels, the ears heat or mil- 

 dew in a remarkably short time. The best possible treatment im- 

 mediately after gathering is shown on jpage 449. Ordinarily the 

 best place to hang these strings of ears is in an open shed or loft. 

 Permanent seed racks are more convenient than the use of binder 

 twine, and when they are located in a dry, breezy place the ears 

 dry successfully. 



Only during unusually damp weather at seed-gathering time 

 will fire be necessary. If heat is employed in a poorly ventilated 

 room it will do the seed ears more injury than good. If used, the 

 fire should be slow, long continued, and situated below the seed 

 ears, with good ventilation above them. 



Winter Storage. After hanging in the shed or lying on the 

 racks for two months, the seed ears should be "dry as a bone" and 

 contain less than 10 per cent of moisture. They can remain where 

 they dried or be stored in mouseproof barrels, boxes, or crates dur- 

 ing the winter, but in either case must not be exposed to a damp 

 atmosphere or they will absorb moisture and be injured. Some 

 farmers place the thoroughly dried seed ears in the center of a 

 wheat bin and fill the bin with loose, dry wheat. 



Testing the Germination of Seed Corn. Seed corn that ma- 

 tured normally and has been properly preserved will grow satis- 

 factorily. It is very poor management to neglect proper preserva- 

 tion and to spend time in the spring separating by germinating tests 

 those ears that have been badly damaged from those that have been 

 slightly damaged. Prevention is better than cure, and in this case 

 a cure is impossible. 



