The Bulletin. 13 



crop by concentrating your efforts on a small area from year to year 

 with a view to increasing the vitality and prolificacy of the strain. 



PRESERVATION. 



Having thus carefully and scientifically selected your seed corn, the 

 next step is the proper care and attention given its preservation till 

 planting time. The best and most yiable seed corn may have its ger- 

 minating power greatly reduced by improper handling and storing 

 during the winter months. 



The first essential in the preservation of seed corn is a dry place. 

 After having been allowed to dry out thoroughly in the fall, the ears 

 should be carefully stored in a dry place where rats cannot get at them 

 and where the corn weevil is not likely to bother. Seed corn should by 

 no means be stored in an open crib or a damp cellar. 



On one occasion, "Four bushels of corn were harvested and divided 

 into two equal parts. One part was well dried and kept dry during the 

 winter in a seed-house and the other kept in an ordinary corncrib. 

 ... On rich bottom-land, the well-preserved seed produced 18 bushels 

 more per acre than the cribbed seed; while, on poor upland, the well- 

 preserved seed produced 7 bushels more per acre than the cribbed seed. 

 The cribbed seed germinated as well as the well-preserved seed, but the 

 resulting plants were less thrifty and less productive." * 



It is thus highly important that the seed corn be kept with great care 

 through the winter months. 



GERMINATION TEST. 



Every farmer wants to know what per cent of his corn is capable of 

 coming up, before he puts it into the ground. Some weeks before plant- 

 ing, therefore, the seed corn should always be put through the germina- 

 tion test. This may be done in different ways. Each ear may be shelled 

 separately and ten grains put in moist soil or on moist blotting paper 

 and kept in a warm place till they sprout. ISTote carefully how many 

 of these ten grains, taken at random, make a good, vigorous germination, 

 sending out both root and leaf. Another method allows all of the seed 

 corn to be shelled and a sample of one hundred grains taken at random 

 and put in the test. In the first case the number of grains germinating 

 multiplied by ten will give the per cent of germination secured. Eor 

 example: if six grains out of the ten make a good germination, this 

 would equal a germination of 60 per cent. In the latter case the actual 

 number of grains in the hundred that germinated would represent the 

 percentage of germination secured. Note carefully the strength and 

 vigor of germination, since some grains have enough vitality to barely 

 germinate, but not enough to make much farther growth. It is much 

 better to make a germination test of each ear, as by this method you 



*Bulletin 414, U. S. Department of Agriculture. 



