CULTIVATED CROPS 



•7 



grow. If he takes ten kernels from one ear, and finds that 

 all of the ten kernels sprout, he can safely assume that 

 the rest of the kernels on that ear will grow. That is a 

 good ear for him to plant. 



If he takes ten kernels from another ear, and finds that 

 none or less than half of them sprout, he rightly assumes 

 that the rest of the kernels on that ear would not be likely 

 to grow. That is not a safe ear to plant. 



To Test Com. — By testing each ear a person may throw 

 out the poor ones and save the good ones, which enables 

 him to use his own seed and to be sure of planting only 

 good seed. A simple germinator may be made as follows: 

 On a piece of white outing flannel draw with a soft lead 

 pencil a six-inch square, and mark it off into nine two-inch 

 squares, numbering the small squares from one to nine» 

 Place the cloth thus marked over a plate of sand or dirt. 

 The next step is to number nine eai-s of corn. This is 

 easily done by fastening a small tag to the butt of each 

 ear of com with a pin, as shown in Figure 26. Take tea 



Figure 26. — Ears of seed corn numbered lor testing. 



kernels from ear No. 1, selecting them from different ports 

 of the ear, and place them on square No. 1. Continue 

 until each square is supplied with ten kernels from the ear 

 of the corresponding number. Moisten the material in 

 the plate thoroughly, cover with another cloth and another 

 plate, to prevent too rapid evaporation, and set in a warm 

 place. Put up carefully the nine eai-s of com for fuiure 

 comparison. 



The germinator should be examined from time to time 

 to note the germination of the kernels. If kept warm and 

 moist the corn should all germinate in five to eight flhfrs. 



