TESTING SEED CORN 197 



peg into the butt of each cob. These are now to be laid 

 away for the germination test described in the next les- 

 son. 



LESSON LIX 



TESTING SEED CORN 



We have now selected the ears of corn with which to 

 plant our ten acres on the farm. We have numbered 

 each ear and placed it by itself, and we are now ready 

 to make the germination test, for we wish to be sure that 

 every grain we plant will germinate vigorously. 



Value of good seed. One of the most important 

 modern movements for the improvement of agriculture 

 in this country consists in the proper selection, care, and 

 testing of the seeds to be planted. When we remember 

 that the seed carries with it all the characteristics of 

 the parent plants from which it came, we want to be 

 sure that these parent plants are just as nearly perfect 

 as possible. When we remember that the seed is a liv- 

 ing thing, containing a young and tender plant, we see 

 the necessity of properly caring for the seed during its 

 resting period. And when we understand that sickly 

 or dead seeds cannot grow into valuable plants, we shall 

 no longer be willing to put them into the ground, which 

 we expect to cultivate, and from which we expect to 

 gather a full harvest. 



Testing seed corn for life and vigor. It has come to 

 be true that almost every farmer and country school 

 boy now understands the importance of testing seed corn 

 before planting and testing it in the ear rather than 



