The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1886-04-09

the cells. Hence it easily will be seen
that corn dry enough to crib without
molding may be far too moist to pre-.
serve the germ intact. Again in West
ern or dent corn, which ripens from the
outside in towards the cob, the germ is
the last to dry out, and thus corn that
apparently looks all right to the eve NAV
in fact be utterly unfit for seed. DO not.
therefore, feel certain that corn will
grow when taken from crib where il
has lain in bulk since husking- time, and
especially if taken from the middle of
the crib. If taken near the edge, where
constant access to air has been had, il
will be much more likely to grow than
that from the interior, it has been
cribbed rather green.
1t this connection it will be under.
stood that it is now too late to repair
any error that may have arisen in the
proper saving of seed corn. 1t is not,
however, too late to test the seed corn.
|. This is the proper course even where
the seed has been carefully saved; it is
absolutely necessary where corn is taken
from the crib, The proper way to dc
this is to shell from the butts, middles,
and tips alike from a considerable num-
Der OF average ears. Count from this
shellcd corn, after thoroughly mixing
100 grains just rs they comc-tips, mid
dies, and butts. Soak tho corn over
night in water at so deg, and keep it as
near this temperature during the night
as may be. Then place tho grains be-
tween moist folds Of flannel cloth, and
keep II moist and as near the tcmpcra-
ture stated rs possible. Thus it should
show signs of termination within three
days if good. There is no reason why
every grain should not grow promptly,
and it will if we'll saved, The proper
ton OF grains In 100 that terminate
will show the relative value of the seed
under the best conditions. Ii you like
you may place another lot to terminate
at II temperature of 60 deg. and note
the difference in time of germination.
a temperature of AZ deg, il the lowest
at which Indian corn will terminate.
ll5 deg. is the highest, and 90 deg. is
the temperature of most rapid gcrmi
nation. II corn can not DO made to
gerlninato In about five or six days III a
temperature of GO deg. it is not safe to
plant.
While upon the subject of seed corn,
there is another question worthy of At
tentiOn, as closely connected with tho
integrity of the crop, Some insist that
both tip and the butt of the corn shouk!
be cut of before Smelling for seed. If
the butt is damp. spongy. and mripc
this is correct, since the seed will prob
ably not grow, but if the seed has been
properly saved the grains from the tip
and those from the butt are equally ne
cessary to the integrity of the crop, Es-
pcriments carefully made by DIR. Stnrte-
want show that stalks from tip grains
flower first, the middle next, and those
from the butt last. Yet the grains ut
the butt are first formed, and those ut
the tip last. Therefore it is safe to con-
clude that the grains at the iAtt are
fortified from tho blossoms from the
tip grains, and so on successfully.
Hence the necessity of planting I'LL the
grains of an ear To produce perfect fer
tilization and perfect ears of corn.-
| ChicaqO Tribune