EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETINS. 



445 



TESTING GERMINATION 



"Test, •(Idu't oiies«" was first applied to corn by Mr. P. G. Holdeu, a 

 native of Michigan, in pointing out the importance of testing the ger- 

 mination of each ear of corn to be planted. Careless methods of stor- 

 ing seed corn make it absolutely imperative that seed corn should be 

 tested before planting. 



Experience has shown that it is impossible to surely distinguish, by 

 outward appearance, or the knife blade test, between ears of good ger- 

 mination and ears of low vitality. The only accurate method is testing 

 in the germinator. The sawdust box, sand box or rag doll tester, and 

 special manufactured seed corn germinators are all efficient. 



THE SAWDUST BOX TESTER 



Construct square box 2 ft. by 2 ft., 3 inches deep. Cut piece of white 

 cloth to fit and mark off in center with heavy lead pencil a square 

 20" X 20" ; divide into 100 squares 2" x 2". Number upper squares 1, 2, 

 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 at top, and left side row 1, 11, 21, 31, 41, 51, 61, 71, 

 81, 01. 



Place one inch of sawdust moistened in warm water in bottom of 

 box, pack firmly and smooth evenly. Moisten marked cloth and spread 

 over sawdust on box. 



Number ears to be tested and place where they will be undisturbed. 

 Extract with penknife six kernels from each ear beginning near butt 

 and turning ear slightly as each is extracted taking last near tip. 

 Place kernels in square numbered to correspond with ear, germ face 

 up, tips toward the bottom of box. 



15. 100 ears can be tested at one time in the sand or earth box germinator, shown above. 

 Six liernels from each numbered ear are planted, germ face up,' tips down, in each square. 

 The rows at edge of box are numbered 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, and along top 9, 11, 

 21, 31, 41, 51, 61, 71 81, 91. thus indicating the number of each square. Numbers rang- 

 ing from 1 to 10 are attached to ears to be tested, and kernels from each ear planted in 

 square of corresponding number. The sand or earth is kept properly moistened and test 

 is ready to read in from 10 to 14 days. Six strong sprouts in a square show desirable 

 seed ears. 



