118 [A SSEMBLY 
GERMINATION OF Mamzr. 
Some careful experiments were made in. order to determine the 
lowest temperature at which maize would germinate. 
The apparatus used was a tight box abont 12x16 inches square 
and five inches deep, lined on sides and bottom with a small lead 
pipe through which spring water was caused to flow. This box re- 
ceived about two inches depth of water in order to equalize temper- 
atures by its mass, and in this water was floated the germination 
box, 9x14 inches square by three inches deep, and in which were the 
pockets or folds which contained the seed, and also about half inch 
depth of water. Through the tight cover of the outer box, a 
thermometer, which had been previously corrected by one of Green’s 
Standards, was passed, its bulb entering the folds which contained 
the seed. Twenty kernels of corn of two varieties of each agricul- 
tural species, dents, flints, softs and sweets, and three varieties of 
pops were counted into the germinating pockets at 3p. mM. of 
ecember 2. 
On December 13 and 14, our water supply failed and the temper- 
ature rose, thus concluding the trial. _ 
The seed was taken from ears which were thoroughly air dried 
from hanging up since harvest in the station office, which is warmed 
by steam heat. 
_ The figures obtained are given in the following table: 
No. of Average Extreme 
Date. observations. temperature. temperature noted, 
DBC Boa oe a Hes as 4 Sata 52.5-54.5 
Boa hehe ei cke t ee igs DLI6 48 .5-54.5 
ADO es tate toarem 9 5LE9 51.5-52.5 
as takes dae eee tia 9 Spe 49 .5-52.5 
Ge eae + 52.4 50.0-54..5- 
Teta hiss wna, 5 52.5 51.5-53.5 
Rares Mute kL 9 Dig 51.5-52.5 
(ON Page Ge 10 52.2 49 .5-54.5 
EO re eee la ieee 10 51.8 49 .5-55 ..5 
i IG Rp Sia AS Ie Vata oh Oe 11 52.8 55.5-54.5 
Lae sete ease 8 51.2 50.5-55.5 
6 Ns Peper ey eae 5 66.9 66 .5-67.5 
De cat Pech eee atte it 70.5 70.5-70.5 
Strangely enough all the kernels germinated, the earliest in 141 
hours, the latest in 281 hours, but we noted quite a variation which 
may be ascribed to race or variety. The following table makes this 
clear : 
VP emis 
Oo eS 
awe, 
ss RS . / 
a Retin ip sags oe ae a 
