300 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



stricken off with a straight edge, and then lightly tapped to settle 

 the sand. Strings are then stretched as shown, marking I14 feet squares. 

 On the wooden tray drive tacks or very small nails into the sides (not 

 the edges) of sides and ends I14 feet apart, to carry the strings. This 

 gives 126 squares. Five or six such trays will hold the kernels for five 

 to eight bushels of corn. One tray will hold the seed from 78 pounds 

 of 10 ounce ears. 



Now place the ears of seed corn in rows of 14 ears each, either on 

 racks or elsewhere, i. e., as many ears as there are squares in one of the 

 long rows in the tray, numbering the rows of ears to correspond with the 

 rows of squares in the tray. Take each ear separately, remove four 

 kernels from as many different points on the ear, and set them, small 

 end down, in the square corresponding to the ear. Press each kernel 

 down till its top is even with, or better, just below the surface of the 

 sand, as shown in the figure. Each tray provides for nine rows of ears. 



Fig. 7. — Twenty-five kernels of corn from each of five carefully saved ears of seed corn were planted 

 in these five pans respectively. A careful examination reveals the fact that there is a great difference 

 not only in the germinating qualities, but in the vigor of the resulting plants. We have, here an ex- 

 cellent illustration of the importance of testing seed corn by individual ears. , 



Now wet the sand in the tray thoroughly, and leave in a warm place, 

 at room temperature, or slightly higher. See to it that the sand is kept 

 well moistened, but not saturated. 



Figure 4 shows the corn in place. Fig. 5 shows the corn germinated, 

 and Fig. G shows the corn after some growth is made. It is only after 

 the corn has had an opportunity to grow a few days that one can pass 

 intelligently upon the vigor of the germinating kernel. It is not suffi- 

 cient that a kernel of corn germinate. Discard all ears whose kernels 

 do not all germinate vigorously, if you would have a perfect stand of 

 vigorous plants. See Fig. 7. 



TIP AND BUTT KERNELS. 



Tip kernels should be removed far enough back to insure freedom from 

 molds which are likely to be found where the ends of the husks have 

 allowed moisture to enter before husking. Aside from this, tip and butt 

 kernels are objectionable only so far as their presence interferes -with 



