CEREAL CULTIVATION EASTERN AREA 325 



done on frosty mornings by dragging a heavy pole or iron 

 bar broadside across the field. The stalks are then cut 

 with a disk harrow. Sometimes the stalks are cut down 

 with a stalk cutter in the fall, which hastens their decay. 

 After a thorough double-disking with a machine having 

 sharp disks set to run 3 to 4 inches deep, and harrowing 

 with a spike-toothed harrow, the ground should be in 

 good condition (Fig. 97). 



FIG. 96. Disking corn ground with the cutaway disk machine, in prep- 

 aration for oat seeding. 



352. Preparation of seed. Cleaning and grading 

 grain is discussed in another chapter (178-181). These 

 operations will remove a large percentage or all of the ker- 

 nels of poor quality. However, if there is still some ques- 

 tion as to germination, the seed being old or weathered, 

 a test should be made which is readily done : Several lots 

 of 100 kernels each are counted out from different portions 

 of the bin or from different sacks, placed between clean 

 blotters or canton flannel or in sand, and kept moist 



