28 



INFLUENCE OF ENVIRONMENT ON SWEET CORN. 



The work of the previous year had demonstrated the fact that very 

 rapid changes take place in the sugars soon after removing the kernels 

 from the cob; and as the plats were located at distances from the 

 laboratory varying from a quarter of a mile to a mile and a half, this, 

 together with the necessity of analyzing a large number of samples, 

 required some change in the mode of analytical work. It was finally 

 decided to work in a wall tent pitched as near the plat of corn as 

 possible, prepare the sample, weigh out the portion to be used, and 

 heat this to boiling with a 40 per cent alcoholic solution for two hours, 

 so that the sugars would not only be extracted but any changes in 

 them would be rendered impossible. The samples could then be set 

 aside until the end of the day, before being taken to the laboratory, 

 made to a definite volume, and an aliquot kept until the determination 

 could be completed. 



FLORIDA. 



A sandy soil, upon which corn had previously been grown, was used 

 at the Florida station for the Crosby corn. The ground was prepared 

 by plowing 4 inches deep with an ordinary two-horse plow, and 

 fertilized to the extent of 300 pounds per acre with fertilizer con- 

 taining 3 per cent of ammonia, 6 per cent of phosphoric acid, and 8 

 per cent of potash. The date of planting was March 17, the corn 

 coming up March 30. The plants were cultivated twice April 16 

 with a five-tooth cultivator and on April 24 with a weeder. The corn 

 tasseled on May 7, reached the stage suitable for table use May 29, 

 and was ready for seed harvest June 27. 



The Stowell Evergreen corn was also grown on a sandy soil which 

 for three years prior to this had been planted in northern varieties of 

 corn and on which fertilizer containing 4 per cent of ammonia, 6 per 

 cent of phosphoric acid, and 8 per cent of potash had been applied at 

 the rate of 300 pounds per acre. The ground was prepared in the 

 same way as for the Crosby corn, and the character of the fertilization 

 was identical with that given for the previous crops. The dates of 

 planting and coming up and the dates and methods of cultivation 

 were the same as for the Crosby corn. The first tassels appeared 

 May 9, the corn was ready for table use June 2, and the matured seed 

 was in a condition to harvest July 4. 



The meteorological and analytical data for this station follow: 



Meteorological data for Lake City, Fla., 1906. 



