A qualitative and quantitative method for examining the carotenoids in corn seedlings was developed. The method involves: (a) extraction of the pigments with acetone and hexane; (b) Chromatographic separation of the pigments utilizing calcium hydroxide, sucrose, and magnesium oxide; and (c) characterization of the pigments by their spectrophotometric and chromatographic properties. The presence of the following pigments in seedlings grown from U. S. 13 hybrid corn has been reasonably well established: lutein, β-carotene, violaxanthin, neoxanthin, zeaxanthin and α-carotene. The partial identification of five other pigments indicated that they may be: violeoxanthin or tareoxanthin, cryptoxanthin, a monohydroxy-α-carotene and two flavoxanthins. In addition, small quantities of four unknown pigments were found.