^2. MISSOURI AGRICULTURAL REPORT. 



be sufficiently large to hold 6 or 8 grains each. The work of placing 

 the corn in the crate is begun with ear No. i, by catching the ear with 

 one hand, and with the knife (always use the back of the knife) re- 

 move two grains each from the butt, middle and tip and place in sec- 

 tion No. I. This operation is repeated until crate one is filled. Now 

 cover this with a piece of muslin and dampen well to hold seed in po- 

 sition ; this should be covered with a heavier cloth, such as will retain 

 moisture, and over this place a heavy piece of paper, or such material 

 as will retain heat and moisture. During germination the crate should 

 be kept in a room of even temperature, or as nearly so as practicable. 

 It would be well to dampen the crate each day, as the moisture evapor- 

 ates rapidly, and when not given due attention the results due from 

 neglect at this time will be quite disappointing. From 8 to lo days 

 will be necessary to test each crate. In some instances the center or 

 sides are the last to show signs of life ; this will depend largely on the 

 amount of heat given the center or the lack of moisture at the sides. 



The judging of the test is one of interest and requires that we 

 examine closely each grain, as it will be found that the butts, the mid- 

 dle or tips of some ears wall test well, while the rest of the ear will be 

 unfit for use. This defect can hardly be detected before putting to the 

 test, as from all outward appearances the grain is sound, and this, no 

 doubt, in many instances is the cause of a poor stand of corn. Again, 

 it will be found that some ears are slow to germinate and are weak 

 and appear to be as much inclined to grow down as up, and what 

 is meant by this ? That after the seed has started a day or two the vi- 

 tality of the plant is arrested, and it seems to be battling with nature 

 for existence. All such seed should be discarded, as in most cases, 

 unless under very favorable climatic conditions at the time of planting, 

 the plant would make a slow growth and produce a light crop of very 

 inferior quality. In discusing this subject, some of the results per- 

 haps would be admissible. 



From a test of 1,400 ears it was found that a fraction of over one- 

 half of one per cent was unfit to be used in planting. This was of the 

 Leaming variety of late planting, but well matured. It made a vigor- 

 ous growth from the start and maintained itself in good order through- 

 out the season. From a test of 900 ears of the Reid's variety fully 

 50 per cent was thrown out of one lot, and from the lot retained for 

 planting a very poor stand was secured, not sufficient to replant, mak- 

 ing it necesary to plant again, causing a delay of from 6 to 10 days. 

 From a third lot in which a test of less than 2 per cent was thrown 

 out of the last named variety and planted the same time as test No. 2, 

 a uniform stand was secured and produced about 50 bushels per acre of 



