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it to the growing embryo. Too much moisture, however, 

 means too little oxygen. This is the principal reason for 

 seed rotting in heavy, wet land. Corn cannot make rapid 

 growth without an abundance of air. 



THE SEED TESTER 



Conditions which apply to the field apply equally well 

 to the seed corn tester. If the seed corn tester is to show 

 accurately by its results the true condition and the relative 

 value of the different ears, it must provide sufficient moist- 

 ure, give ample ventilation, and keep the temperature be- 

 tween sixty and one hundred degrees. It had better fall 

 below sixty degrees than go above one hundred degrees. In 

 order not to give some of the kernels an advantage over 

 others, the moisture, temperature and ventilation should be 

 uniform in all .parts of the tester. 



The trays should be pigeonholed off in such a manner 

 that the kernels from e.ach ear can be placed in a separate 

 pocket so that their identity will not be lost. A good time 

 to test seed corn is in March. This is late enough for all 

 the ears to show their true condition and is early enough to 

 allow the farmer to procure more seed, if the test is unsatis- 

 factory, before spring work requires his attention. 



SHELLING AND GRADING CORN FOR PLANTING 



Before corn is shelled, it should be carefully tipped and 

 butted since the tip and butt grains are irregular in size, 

 besides being smaller and larger than the type desired. After 

 the uneven grains are shelled off the tip and butt ends, the 

 remaining kernels should be carefully examined and all 

 off-colored or undesirable grains removed. 



The ears are now shelled. If the shelling is done by 



