CORN GROWERS'* ASSOCIATION. II 5 



kernels about two inches from the butt of ear No. i, turn it one-third 

 around and take two more from near the middle, again turn it one-third 

 around and remove two from near the tip, placing- the half dozen kernels 

 in square No. i. In like manner take the same number of kernels from 

 ear No. 2 and place in square No. 2 and so on until all the scjuares are filled. 

 Cover the corn with another piece of moist cloth, which is somewhat 

 larger than the box, filling in on top of this with three-quarters of an 

 inch of moist sand. A piece of oilcloth or some wet paper thrown over 

 the top helps to keep the gcrminator from drying out. Set in a warm 

 jilace, say near the kitchen stove where the temperature will stand from 

 /O to 90 degrees, and allow it to remain about a week, moistening the 

 sand occasionally if necessary and noting the progress of germination 

 from time to time. At the end of this time the kernels of good vitality 

 will have sprouted strongly and one can tell by looking at the different 

 squares which ears are to be discarded for seed. For instance, if ear No. 

 10 shows a tendency to weak germination, or if one or more of the 

 kernels failed to sprout at all, such an ear should be thrown out. It will 

 be found in ordinary crib corn that a large per cent of the ears will have 

 to be discarded entirely. The ordinary practice of planting such ears 

 is responsible for most of our poor corn stands. 



The time necessary to do this testing is very trifling compared to 

 the money return which it will bring. By such a test, if one is depending 

 uj^on the crib corn for seed, a most conservative estimate is that the 

 s.and may be increased five per cent which should mean two bushels 

 n^ore corn per acre, where the average yield is 40 bushels. The actual 

 lime necessary to test sufficient corn to plant 50 acres in this way is not 

 ever two days and a little figuring will show at once the income which 

 such work will bring. The germinating box costs practically nothing 

 and if one wishes, several may be run at once. Probably the most con- 

 venient size is one two feet square, which will test about one bushel of 

 corn. Another method of arranging this germinator is to use instead of 

 the sand, layers of wet paper, or sometimes bran is used, but the sand is 

 probably the most satisfactory. 



It should be said that where very careful attention has been given 

 to drying out and preserving the seed corn it should test as high "as 

 95 per cent of the kernels germinating strongly. In such a case it will 

 [•robably not be necessary to test each individual ear that is planted, but 

 rather to test say ten kernels from fifty representative ears. Some test, 

 liowever, should always be made before planting, to be sure that the 

 corn is of strong vitality. 



