350 



ELEMENTARY STUDIES IN BOTANY 



the hypocotyl, the beginning of growth and curving upward 

 of the stem, and the putting out of roots ; while in Fig. 26 

 the growth of all the parts has pro- 

 ceeded still further. In Fig. 27 is shown 

 a young seedling established for inde- 

 pendent work, with the root system 

 started and the leaves beginning to 

 unfold. 



The value of testing for vitality be- 

 fore planting is indicated by the follow- 

 ing statement from a recent bulletin 

 (February, 1913) issued by the State 

 Agricultural Experiment Station of 

 Iowa: 



" Testing the vitality of seed corn be- 

 fore planting in- 

 creased the profits 

 per acre 93.6 per 

 cent in 1910 and 



gg 7 c nt m 



191 1 , or an increase 



of 19.6 bushels per acre in 1910 and of 

 10.1 bushels in 1911." 



52. Sweet corn In addition to field 

 corn of various kinds, there are the 

 numerous races of sweet corn. Sweet 

 corn is to be regarded as a vegetable 

 rather than a cereal, but the soil condi- 

 tions and the principles of cultivation are 

 the same as for field corn. It is more 

 intensively cultivated than field corn, 

 and to this end it is planted in hills rather 

 than drills, so that the soil all about it 

 may be kept in condition. Canned sweet corn has become 

 so common a food in North America that the demand for it 



FIGS. 24-26. stages in 



the germination of corn: 

 explained m the text. 



FIG. 27. A young corn 

 seedling just after ger- 

 mination has been 

 completed. 



