The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1883-03-31
Ghe @armer,
BUT OR TIP SEED CORN.

Some experiments were made last year
at the New York Agricultural Experiment
Station. at Geneva, n. Y, to ascertain
which kernels of corn are most valuable
for planting those taken from the tips, or
those from the middle, or those from the
but of the ear. Duplicate series of corn
were planted and so arranged that each
kernel of corn planted occupied the same
relative position upon the soil that it did
upon the cob from which it was taken
The result of the two trials showed such
manifest superiority of yield in favor Of
tip kernels planted as, if generally true
upon trial, to afford an easy and ready
means of increasing our corn yields. Dur
ing the winter the Station has tried expert
ments upon the terminating and vegetat-
ing properties Of the tip, central and but
kernels of corn, and in every case, where
flint corn was used, there was noticed
manifest superiority in the tip kernels
With dent corn the experiments upon ger
mination do not show as yet superiority
in the tip seed.
In view of the importance of this subject,
anu Ill OTueI lLdI tllt>SC 1CSullS SllOuAu IL
ceive either practical verifcation or quick
refutation, the Station appeals to the farm
ers organizations for cooperation and
assistance requesting that the subject be
brought under discussion at their meetings
and that their members be encouraged and
persuaded to make and report the results
of trials the coming season, in accordance
with the following directions:
Select a number of perfect tipped ears of
a flint variety of corn from these ears
shell by hand the five but kernels, the five
central kernels and the five tip kernels OF
each row. Set aside each set Of kernels,
kept carefully separate, for use.as seed.
Using these three kinds of seed, plant
one hundred hills of each, six kernels in
hill, and after the plants have appeared,
reduce the number to four in hill these
four to be allowed to grow for the purpose
of crop. While thinning, keep careful
record of the plants removed from each
lot, and count the number that vegetated
from the six hundred planted.
Cultivate each series alike, and harvest
at the same time At husking, carefully
note on the spot
], The number Of ears of merchantable
and understandable corn borne by each
series
2. The weight of ear corn, merchantable
and understandable, harvested from each
series
3. 1t would be useful and desirable to
measure the length of ears grown from
each kind of seed, in order to see what in
fuence the several kinds of seeds have
upon the length of ear produced
4. 1t is also desirable that notes should
be taken of the date Of planting, the date
at which the. plants appear above the
ground, the date of blooming, and also the
date of ripening.
5. Please transmit a copy Of the results
obtained, whether favorable or unfavor-
able to the tips, to the director of the Sta
ton, f. Lewis Sturtevant, Geneva, n. Y.
It is recommended that all parties max
ing this experiment should plant at the
same depth, say one inch; should plant at
the same intervals, say the hill three and
one-half feet apart; and should give the
ordinary cultivation and manuring of
their locality. ...a