ACIDITY IN DETERMINING SOUNDNESS OP CORN. 



Iowa were also selected by individual farmers throughout the State. 

 All samples shown in Table I were tested for acidity and germina- 

 tion in the year 1912. The corn at the time of analysis was appar- 

 ently of first-class quality and in excellent condition, although, as 

 the results of the germination show, some of the samples were unfit 

 for seed. 



Analyses of approximately 10,000 samples of corn in this investi- 

 gation showed a range in degree of acidity from 9 to over 100 c. c. 

 In consideration of this wide range, Table I illustrates the uniform 

 low degree of acidity found in corn selected for seed. Table I shows 



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Fig. 7.— Drain stand. 



further that, if properly harvested and carefully stored, corn can be 

 kept for several years without suffering any great loss of viability 

 or increasing abnormally in degree of acidity. Although this inves- 

 tigation shows that the degree of acidity is not an absolute criterion 

 of the viability of corn, the results obtained firmly establish the 

 direct relation of the degree of acidity to the percentage of germi- 

 nation. 



A degree of acidity of 18 c. c. or below is evidence of a high per- 

 centage of germination, and the lower the degree of acidity is found 

 to be the stronger is the evidence of high germinative power or strong 

 viability in the seed. 



