32 CORN 



The tester should then be placed where it will be held at 

 ordinary room temperature or a little warmer. During the 

 day the sawdust reaches a temperature which it holds dur- 

 ing the night. Even though the outside temperature drops 

 several degrees that of the germination bed will be fairly 

 constant. Usually it requires from five to six days to 

 make a good test. If at the end of three days the pad of 

 sawdust is dry, it should be moistened again. 



Checking the Results of Tests. After five or six days 

 have elapsed the sawdust pack should be taken off and the 

 cloth rolled back, care being taken not to move the kernels 

 out of their respective squares. The kernels should be 

 inspected first to note if any have absolutely failed, second, 

 if each kernel has put forth both root and growing point, 

 and third, the vigor or vitality shown in the germination. 



All ears having kernels that show defective germination 

 should be moved forward on the table. After the test has 

 been thoroughly checked up, all the ears that were moved 

 forward are rejected and the others used as seed. Before 

 shelling the seed, the butt and tip kernels are removed as 

 these lack uniformity in size and shape and do not give 

 uniform germination. If the butt and tip kernels are used 

 at all, they should be planted by themselves. 



Curing Seed Corn. One of the factors that enter into 

 the securing of higher yields of corn is the curing of the ears. 

 It is just as easy to cure corn in a proper manner as it is to 

 store it away on the barn floor or in an exposed crib, where 

 it will mold or be destroyed by rats and mice. 



The following points should be observed in selecting seed 

 corn : 



i. Seed corn should be allowed to mature well on the 

 stalk. 



