CEREALS AND FORAGE PLANTS 



347 



in agriculture in general, there has been an extensive organ- 

 ization of " corn clubs " for boys in rural communities. 

 Reference has been made to these clubs (p. 320), but in this 

 connection the principles of selection will be outlined briefly. 

 The two chief factors in the selection are a suitable plant and 



a suitable ear. The plant should ^ 



be vigorous, with all its members 

 (roots, stem, and leaves) well 

 developed. The selected ear 

 should be early maturing, large, 

 sound, well shaped (carrying its 

 diameter well from butt to tip), 

 with straight and compact rows 

 of grains, and a cob about one- 

 half the diameter of the ear (Fig. 

 19). The selected ears should 

 be stored in a dry place, with 

 uniform temperature ; and be- 

 fore planting the grains should 

 be tested for vitality in a germi- 

 nating bed, usually called a 

 " tester." The direction for 

 club work is that no lot of grains 

 should be used for planting that 



do not Show by the testing Of FIG. 19. Two ears of corn, showing a 



samples that at least 95 per cent 

 of them germinate promptly and 

 vigorously. 



51. Corn-tester. There are several kinds of testers, but 

 one that can be constructed in any school or home is the 

 "sawdust box," which is exceedingly satisfactory (Fig. 20). 

 A box three or four inches deep and about thirty inches 

 square is recommended as a good size. This is half filled with 

 thoroughly moistened sawdust (soaked for at least an hour), 

 pressed down and with a smooth surface. Upon the sawdust 



