108 Effective Farming 



testers is the sawdust-box tester. To make and use one of 

 these the following directions should be observed : Secure a 

 box 3 or 4 inches deep and about 30 inches square. Place 

 in a burlap bag enough sawdust to half fill the box and soak 

 it bag and all in water for several hours. When moist spread 

 it in a layer in the box and press it to a smooth even surface. 

 Rule off a piece of muslin about the size of the box into squares 

 about 2^ inches each way and number these squares 1, 2, 3, 



FIG. 36. Seed corn tested in the sawdust-box tester. 



and so on. Place the cloth in the box and tack it to the edges 

 and corners. Place the ears to be tested side by side on a table 

 or shelf and number them in order 1, 2, 3, and so on. Fig. 

 36 shows the ears arranged on a table as here described. With 

 a sharp-pointed instrument remove six kernels from each ear 

 and place them in the square in the box that accords with the 

 number of the ear. When removing the kernels take one from 

 near the tip, one from near the middle, and one from near the 

 butt, turn the ear over and remove six more in the same manner. 

 When the kernels have been placed in the squares lay a piece 

 of muslin over them and sprinkle water on the cloth ; above 



