Freezing Injury of Seed Corn 
63 
In order to determine definitely the actual difference which may 
be found, moisture tests were made. For this purpose two ears 
were selected showing great variation in maturity of different 
kernels. The kernels from each ear were divided into groups 
according to maturity. The kernels from one ear were grouped 
as dry, and as damp. Only the extreme types were taken. The 
dry group represented the driest kernels on the ear, while the 
damp group represented the most immature kernels. Sprouted 
kernels were found on the other ear, and these were placed in 
a group by themselves. Moisture tests were then made for each 
group from each ear. The results are shown in Table 26. 
The table shows an average difference of 15.8 per cent between 
the damp and dry kernels. The sprouted kernels averaged 
60.7 per cent moisture. The difference here indicated is sufficient 
to cause a great difference in susceptibility to cold, as indicated 
in previous tables, and no doubt explains in many cases why 
some kernels of an ear are killed by freezing while others are 
uninjured. 
Table 26 — Tarnation in moisture content of kernels from the 
same ear of corn at the time of harvest. November 10 , 1915 
Ear Description of Kernels Moisture content 
Per cent 
65.4 
49.2 
63.5 
48.2 
60.7 
FIELD SELECTIONS IN 1917 
Climatic conditions combined in such manner in 1917 that 
no season in this generation has been quite so unfavorable to 
the maturing and drying of the corn crop. The early growth 
was retarded by a cold, wet spring. Later it was again retarded 
by deficient moisture in July. Following that came an un- 
usually cool August and September, which prolonged growth 
and delayed ripening. The first killing frost in the early 
morning of October 8, with a duration of nine hours and a 
minimum temperature of 24° F.. (Table 30) was an unusually 
severe first frost. This was followed by three weeks of cold 
and freezing weather which not only retarded the drying of 
corn but continued to reduce its vitalitv. 
Least mature 
Most mature 
Least mature 
2 < Most mature 
Sprouted .... 
