28 
BULLETIN 102, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
to the arrival upon the market of the new crop, when practically 
all of the corn is graded down because of its excessive moisture and 
not because of inferior quality. 
As already stated, these investigations have shown that 22 c. c. 
most closely approximates the maximum degree of acidity found to 
be contained in sound or normally perfect corn. 
Table XIII shows the average percentage of sound corn, the 
average percentage of germination, and the average degree of acidity 
of each commercial grade. In comparison with these general aver- 
ages there is likewise shown the relation of the amount of sound corn 
and the percentage of germination found in samples having a degree 
of acidity greater than 22 c. c. to the amount of sound corn and 
the percentage of germination found in samples showing a degree of 
acidity less than 22 c. c. 
Table XIII. — Relation of the 'percentage of germination and the percentage of sound corn 
to the degree of acidity found in samples above and below 22 c. c. acidity, by grades, for 
a year. 
Grade. 
Item of comparison. 
Number 
of 
samples. 
Sound 
Germi- 
corn. 
nation. 
Per cent. 
Per cent. 
218 
90.61 
44.40 
63 
91.20 
28.23 
155 
90.60 
51.23 
731 
88.60 
48.80 
171 
87.10 
30.28 
546 
89.38 
54.45 
962 
87.72 
48.60 
185 
81.25 
25.94 
744 
88.15 
53.57 
230 
75.20 
32.50 
85 
53.58 
13.60 
133 
87.23 
44.90 
Acidity. 
No. 2. 
No. 3. 
No. 4. 
Sample . . 
General average of all samples 
Average of samples above 22 c. c. acidity 
Average of samples below 22 c. c. acidity 
General average of all samples 
Average of samples above 22 c. c. acidity 
Average of samples below 22 c. c. acidity 
General average of all samples 
Average of samples above 22 c. c. acidity 
Average of samples below 22 c. c. acidity 
General average of all samples 
Average of samples above 22 c. c. acidity 
Average of samples below 22 c. c. acidity 
C.c. 
20.11 
24.21 
18.48 
19.63 
24.84 
18.00 
19.64 
27.44 
17.70 
22.42 
30.47 
18.00 
Table XIV further establishes the same relationship between the 
percentage of sound corn, the percentage of germination, and the 
degree of acidity. In this table, which represents No. 2, No. 3, 
No. 4, and sample-grade corn, respectively, the samples are grouped 
by months and the amount of sound corn and the percentage of 
germination of samples above and below 22 c. c. acidity is compared. 
This table shows that less sound corn and lower germinative 
power were found in the samples which ranged above 22 c. c. acidity. 
In the lower grades the decrease is more marked in both the percent- 
age of sound corn and the percentage of germination. In the case 
of No. 2 corn the percentage of sound corn remains quite constant 
whether the sample showed acidity greater or less than 22 c. c, but 
the percentage of germination decreases with the increase in degree 
of acidity. The acid test detects deterioration of the germ where 
the eye does not, and it discriminates against the kernels of low ger- 
minative power. 
