66 



FIELD CROPS 



■JiM^ 



Figure 22.— Ras-doU seed 

 corn tester showing seed 

 placed in separate sec- 

 tions. 



smaller if desired. Press the moist- 

 muslin down on the kernels. Next 

 begin at one end to roll the strip, either 

 maldng a roll of the cloth alone or 

 rolling it over a cob or small, round 

 stick (Figure 23). Tie the completed 

 roll in the middle with a string or fasten 

 it with a rubber band. Soak it in luke- 

 warm water three or four hours, then 

 let it drain, and place it where it will 

 remain moist and warm. Ordinary 

 room temperature of about 70 degrees 

 is all right, though germination will be 

 more rapid if it is kept at about 80 

 degrees during the 

 day. If, however, 

 one wishes to make 

 a very selective 

 test, it would be 

 well to keep the 

 temperature down 

 to that of probable 

 field conditions at 

 the time of plant- 

 ing. More marked 

 differences will then 

 be apparent in the 

 sprouts. The higher 

 the temperature the 

 more likely even the 



poorer kernels are to develop fair sprouts. 

 Keep the roll moist by covering with wet 

 cloth or by moistening occasionally, as 

 may be found necessary, but do not soak 

 it again. At the end of 5 days unroll the 



Figure 23. — Rag-doll 



seed corn tester rolled 

 around a corncob. 



