Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station
AGRICULTURAL DEPARTMENT. BULLETIN 30 (Dec. 1891) P. 187-188

EXPERIMENTS WITH CORN.
C. C. GEORGESON, M. Sc.,
Professor of Agriculture, and Superintendent of Farm.
F. C. BURTIS, B. Sc., Assistant.
WM. SHELTON, Foreman of Farm.

IV. BUTT, MIDDLE AND TIP KERNELS FOR SEED.

This experiment is in the main similar to the last, in that it is a test regarding the relative value of kernels from different parts of the ear, this difference consisting not only in position, but also in size. The history of the treatment of the land is the same as that given in the foregoing cases. St. Charles corn was the variety selected for use. The butt and tip kernels were taken from the extreme ends of the ears, and only deformed, but sound, kernels used. The middle kernels were the largest and best from the middle of the ears.

Fifteen plats were planted with this corn, by the same method as in preceding cases, five of each group, and each plat measured one-twentieth acre. The following table gives the results:

 

 Nature of seed. Yield of
good ears,
in lbs.		 Yield of
nubbins,
in lbs.		 Total yield
of plat,
in lbs.
217 Butt kernels 233 26 259
218 Middle kernels 225 28 253
219 Tip kernels 172 40 212
220 Butt kernels 194.5 25.5 220
221 Middle kernels 193 23 216
222 Tip kernels 173 40 213
223 Butt kernels 174.5 41.5 216
224 Middle kernels 128 42.5 170.5
225 Tip kernels 191 29 223
226 Butt kernels 218 27 245
227 Middle kernels 193 40 233
228 Tip kernels 159 54 233
229 Butt kernels 177.5 39.5 213
230 Middle kernels 192 30 217
231 Tip kernels 170.5 38.5 209
  AVERAGE YIELD PER PLAT
  Butt kernels 199.5 31.9 281.4
  Middle kernels 184.2 32.7 218.9
  Tip kernels 173.7 40.3 214
  RATE OF YIELD PER ACRE, BUSHELS.
  Butt kernels 57 9.11 66.11
  Middle kernels 53.17 9.34 62.51
  Tip kernels 49.63 11.51 61.14

All of these plats were husked and weighed the same day, October 29, when both stalks and ears were thoroughly air dry. Careful examination failed to reveal any difference in the shape of the ears, or in the extent that they were filled out at the tips, all plats being alike in this respect. There is, however, a marked difference in yield in the three grades, the butt kernels not only producing the highest total yield, but also the highest per cent. of good merchantable corn, the middle kernels being intermediate and the tips the lowest, both in total yield and good corn, and highest in poor corn. This is contrary to results obtained at Geneva, N. Y., some years ago, when it was found the tips yielded best. They used, however, a flint corn, whereas this is dent.