158 UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS 



What is the best moisture content for corn at planting? More 

 than a year ago, Mr. Frank I. Mann raised the last question and sug- 

 gested its importance. No doubt his experience has taught him that 

 corn plants which begin their growth under most favorable conditions 

 are ordinarily superior to those from the same kind of seed, but germi- 

 nating and making their initial growth under less favorable conditions. 

 Preliminary studies indicate that soaking seed corn in water previous 

 to planting is a method of hastening germination, thereby giving the 

 plant an earlier start than otherwise would be the case. This pre- 

 liminary soaking has resulted in an increase in the yield where the 

 crop was planted late. However, the length of time the kernels are 

 soaked determine whether the result will be an increase or a decrease 

 in production. Soaking for periods less than twenty-four hours is 

 favorable to growth, whereas, soaking for a longer time either is not 

 beneficial or is detrimental. In addition to duration of soaking, there 

 are some indications that the benefit to be derived from this practise 

 is vitally dependent upon the time of planting and the moisture of the 

 soil when the planting is done. These are typical of the problems now 

 in progress dealing with the seed stage of the corn plant. 



A sister institution states that corn for seed may be gathered in 

 the milk. Seed thus selected will germinate, but it is an easy prey for 

 fungi, and in most instances the plants would never appear above 

 ground. It has been clearly demonstrated that thoroly mature corn 

 is best for seed, because fully matured seed possesses powers of re- 

 sistance. Disease organisms may be present but they are unable to 

 get a hold on the strong, healthy grain, while the early selected seed 

 would be converted to a mouldy mass by the end of the third day after 

 being put in the germination test. 



In field practise, what should be the temperature and moisture 

 content of the soil to give the little corn plant a rapid start ? The 

 problems with the plantlet are of the same sort as those having to da 

 with the germination stage. An important study has just been con- 

 cluded by the Agronomy Department, and the material prepared for 

 publication, on the relation of early vigor of the corn plant to yield. 

 This problem concerns itself with the plantlet stage primarily. 



The Station has data covering twelve years of work on the fre- 

 quency of the cultivation of corn. It is impossible to interpret these 

 figures because we know so little regarding the nutrition cycle of corn. 

 If cultivation assists in nitrate production, is the cultivation performed 

 at such a time and under such conditions as will render these nitrates 

 available at the time needed by the growing plant? The growing 

 plant undergoes rapid changes in its nutrient requirements and reacts 



