Barton County democrat., 1910-04-15
investigation of the Vitality Of
Kansas Seed Corn.
By A. NJ. TenEyck.

: by A. VI. IenEycK.
Corn was severely injured last
season by the drought and hot
weather in August, which result
ed in the production of many light
and chaffy ears. Again, the win
ter set in a month earlier than
usual and the early snow and Sc
we're cold weather found the large
part of our Kansas corn crop still
In the field unhuSked, and many
farmers failed even to gather seeG
corn before the freeze-up. Be-
cause of these unfavorable condi-
tons those who were best ac-
quamted with the situation fear
ed that much of the seed corn
|. was injured in vitality and that
there was likely to be a shortage
of good seed corn for planting in
this state.
In order to determine the act
ual condition Of the seed corn, the
writer issued a general invitation
: to the farmers to send samples
Of the corn which they intended
to use for seed to the AgrOnOmy
Department of the Experiment
Station for testing. This invita-
ton with a circular giving direc-
tons for sampling, etc., was sent
to a number of corn growers. The
announcement was also published
widely through the newspapers
and the agricultural press Of the
state.
The instructions given for sam
ping were as follows: "Select
twenty-five good ears from the
seed corn you have saved or from
the crib or field-Such ears as
you would choose for planting.
Select six kernels from each ear,
, two from near the tip, two from
near the middle, and two from
near the butt Of the ear, removing
indicate kernels from opposite
! sides Of the ear. This ought to
J. give an average sample fairly rep
: resenting your seed corn. Place
, the kernels in a seed envelope
: with note giving your name and
, address, name of variety, and a
careful description of the condi-
; tion under which the seed corn
$ was gathered and stored, and maj
, to the AgrOnOmy Department Of
the Kansas State Agricultural
College" "
} This announcement was frs
, published about the middle of Feb
l ruary. The testing of samples
: was begun the last week in Feb.
: ruary and has continued to this
, date (March 15). Nearly 300 Sar
t pies have been received, and this
e report includes $50 tests which
: have been completed. Fifty-Sev
4 ell counties are represented by tn
Il tests included in this report. Tht
e places from which samples were
e received were well distributed
= over thte middle and eastern sec
S tons of the state, but only a few
l. samples came from the western
I third of the state.
u Several of the parties who sen
Il in samples failed to carry out tn,
: instructions fully regarding sam
ping, and sent smaller sample
u than required. When possible
/ these were duplicated. A numbe
d failed to send descriptive dat
y and a few neglected to write the
Is name and address. A personal Il
e ter reporting the result Of eacI
u termination test was sent to tn
Ii grower of the corn with advice a
}, directions regarding the plantin
u ~ Or further testing of such see
~ corn.
~ ~ The time allowed for the germ
: l1atlOn Of the samples was abOu
a six days. The kernels were ez
h amined and counted when tn
NJ NJ rootlets were about two inches !
o. tLgth, and only the grains tina
!. showed healthy, normal rOotlet
IA were counted as germinated.
es The following is some Of th
nc general data secured by the il
tn vestigatiOn:
IN The average termination Of Il
C. seed corn of Kansas as determn
er ed by this investigation is 92.2
per cent; that is 92 kernels out
every 100 kernels tested sproute
One hundred and twenty-fi'
&C. samples of corn gathered earl
lis before December 1st, gave an a