THE SEED. 49 



of germination temperatures for corn at the 

 New York experiment station.* These germi- 

 nation tests were conducted in boxes where 

 the temperature was uniformly under control. 

 Seeds of dent corn germinated at as low a tem- 

 perature as 43.4 deg. F., after 233 hours, prob- 

 ably the lowest temperature recorded for this 

 seed up to this time. In reporting upon the 

 general results o£ his trials in 1884, Sturtevant 

 says:f 



"First, all the kernels of an ear do not germinate with 

 equal ease or with the same increment of temper.ature; 

 second, that there is a difference in the time and temperature 

 required between some of the agricultural species of maize; 

 third, that the dent corns germinate at a temperature of 

 47.6 deg. F., or slightly below; flints at a temperature of 47.8 

 deg. F., or slightly below; pops and softs ditto; while sweets 

 required 48.5 deg. F., or slightly below; fourth, that the 

 increment of temperature required in our trials was far 

 greater for the sweets than for the other agricultural species. '■ 



Under the same conditions of temperature 

 the dents germinate first, flints second, pops 

 and softs next and sweets last, the range being 

 from 168 to 228 hours. 



As observed farther on in the chapter on 

 planting a soil temperature of from 50 to 60 deg. 

 F., will justify planting. While the seed may 

 germinate at below this, the chances are that 

 it will decay, or the young plants make a most 



* New York agricultural experiment station. Report 1884, 

 p. 118, and report 1885, p. 64. 

 t Ibid., pp. 123-124. 

 i 



