Chitting Sweetcorn Lark F1

Earlier this week I put two batches of Sweetcorn to chit; 20 from Marshall's purchased at the beginning of the season last year and 20 from Simply Seeds bought this year; both sets had their own Chinese take away box, layers of moist paper towels and a space on top of the fish tank at 23 o C.  I had difficulty germinating the Marshall's seed last year which is why I bought some seed from another supplier.
All the seed from Simply Seeds has germinated and looks like it wants to romp away.
Nothing from Marshall's has germinated as yet.

Never had any problems with Swift F1 (a very similar type to Lark) until last year when germination must have been around 10%.

It was a new packet of seed, (not Marshalls, by the way) although you have to take it on trust that the contents are as stated - I have my doubts!   

In general, as Mum says, sweetcorn seed, especially the F1's, don't seem to keep very well.

No need for damp paper towels with sweetcorn in my experience. I just leave them the first night in a jam jar full of water to soak, then drain off the water and bring them on like beansprouts until they sprout.

Tip some water into the jam jar, swill around and empty the water leaving the kernels damp but not sitting in water.

i have old seeds from last year and they are not chitting or growing. in the time i left the old seeds to germinate the new sweet corn seeds have already chitted