ACIDITY IK DETERMINING SOUNDNESS OP CORN. 



25 



ary to May, 1913, inclusive, and represents the general average of both 

 crops combined. By the degree of acidity of the mechanical separa- 

 tions the superior quality and condition of the cropof 1912 isalsoshown. 

 In one instance in figure 21 the acidity of the corn designated as 

 " badly damaged" appears somewhat lower than the acidity of the 

 corn designated as "slightly damaged." This is due to the fact that 

 the corn designated as "badly damaged" had so far undergone de- 

 terioration as to be typical of rot and decay, which agencies tend to 

 cause a state of alkalinity rather than a state of acidity. At one 

 time, no doubt, before the corn reached that state of rot and decay, 

 the degree of acidity was higher. Rot and decay serve to slightly 

 reduce the maximum degree of acidity which the corn attains in the 



/9II 



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Fig. 22.- 



•Curves showing the monthly average degree of acidity and percentage of germination of corn 

 as received at a principal terminal market (C). 



cycle of deterioration, but leaves the degree of acidity sufficiently 

 high to stamp the corn as being wholly unsound. 



The general relation of the degree of acidity to the germinative 

 power of corn arriving at a terminal market is shown in figure 22 by 

 curves which, represent monthly averages. Attention is called (1) to 

 the marked increase in the degree of acidity and decrease in the per- 

 centage of germination starting in the spring with the approach of 

 warm weather and continuing throughout the summer months and 

 again (2) to the very marked decrease in the degree of acidity and 

 increase in the percentage of germination commencing in October, 

 upon the arrival of the new crop. Through germination and acidity 

 the superior quality and condition of the crop of 1912 over the crop 

 of 1911 is again shown by these curves. 



