16 Nebraska Agricultural. Exp. Station Researc h Bul. 15 
kernel were .078, .105, .110, .103, .106, and .112. With the 
exception of the least mature grain, the embryo bore practically 
a constant relation to the whole kernel regardless of the stage 
of maturity. For the earliest selection the proportion of embryo 
was the lowest. This may be accounted for in part bv the fact 
that the initial development of the kernel, prior to fertilization, 
is a greater factor in the relative weights of the embryo and 
kernel than at any succeeding time. 
When corn was harvested 27 days after fertilization, the 
scutellum measured 7 millimeters long and the germ from tip of 
plumule to tip of root was 5 millimeters long. For corn har- 
vested 55 days after fertilization, the length of the scutellum 
was 9 millimeters, while the germ from tip of plumule to tip 
of root was 7 millimeters. 
MOISTURE CONTENT OF CORN 
Since the moisture content of corn is a factor in freezing 
injury, data were secured to determine the relative moisture 
content of the embryo and the endosperm. It was thought that 
this might help to throw some light on the effect of freezing 
and might perhaps indicate where freezing does its greatest 
damage. Tests were made with both old and new corn, the 
results of which are given in Table 3. 
Old Corn. The tests with the old corn were of a pre- 
liminary nature. In order to insure differences in moisture 
content, the corn was divided into three lots and treated as 
follows : 
(1) Lot 1 consisted of air-dry corn. 
(2) Lot 2 had been placed in a bed of cool, damp soil and 
allowed to remain for 24 hours. 
(3) Lot 3 had been buried in cool, damp soil for 48 hours. 
The embryos were then separated from the endosperms of 
all samples, and moisture determinations made. 
The results indicate that in the air-drv condition, the mois- 
ture content of the embryo is likely to be as low or lower than 
in the endosperm. The ratio of the moisture content of the 
embryo to that of the endosperm was 1.03. In the lot of seed 
buried in cool, damp soil for 24 hours, the embryos had taken 
up more moisture than had the endosperms. Here the ratio of 
the moisture content was 1.36. This difference increased in a 
still greater degree in the lot buried for 48 hours, the ratio here 
being 1.77. This represents somewhat tin* condition of the 
kernels in the fall before having thoroly cured. 
