36 AGRICULTURE 



It is easy now to tell which are the good and which 

 are the bad seed ears. An ear should be rejected if even 

 one of the six kernels failed to sprout. For a loss of one 

 out of six means sixteen and two-thirds per cent, of the 

 crop gone if all ears were of this kind. 



Ears whose six kernels may all sprout, but which start 

 weakly, should also be thrown out. For it is these weak 

 plants that later turn out to be barren, or prove an easy 

 prey to dry weather or some insect enemy. If only those 

 ears are planted whose six kernels all produce strong vig- 

 orous sprouts in the germination box, the greatest obstacle 

 in the way of a perfect stand will have been removed. 



The "rag-doll" tester. A very simple and effective 

 tester is made of a strip of cloth and is called the "rag doll." 

 To make this form of tester, use nine-inch strips of muslin 

 five feet long. Draw a pencil line lengthwise down the 

 middle of the strip, and draw cross lines every three inches, 

 leaving about fifteen inches at each end of the strip with no 

 lines. Number the spaces. Wet the cloth thoroughly, and 

 place the kernels in the spaces as in the sawdust tester. 

 Roll the strip up from either end, and tie a string around 

 the roll. Now stand the roll, with the tips of the kernels 

 down, in a bucket of tepid water for several hours. Place 

 the roll in a box or under an inverted bucket so that the 

 moisture will not dry out. Of course as many of these 

 rolls may be used as are required for the amount of corn 

 to be tested. 



Commercial testers. Several forms of commercial 

 testers are now available, and most of them are fairly satis- 

 factory. There is little need, however, for buying testers 

 when they can be so easily made at home, and when the 

 home-made testers are so simple and effective. 



