GERMINATION TESTS 63 



contains 25 to 30 per cent of water, while good dry corn contains only 

 10 to 12 per cent of water. If the ear corn does not dry down 

 rapidly (in three or four weeks) it is very apt to lose in germinating 

 quality. Freezing is especially injurious when corn is damp, but 

 it will deteriorate without freezing. When corn is dry (15 per cent 

 moisture) it will endure hard freezing without injury, and retain 

 germination for several years. 



Therefore, the most important matter to be given attention is to 

 dry the seed corn as soon as ripe. In large seed houses the corn is 

 sometimes kiln-dried by artificial heat, but the farmer will ordinarily 

 dry his seed by hanging on strings, impaling the ears on nails driven 

 into a board, laying them on shelves made from wire netting, or by 

 use of one of the many drying racks on the market. 



Drying will take three to four weeks, when the ears may be 

 packed in crates or shelled to be stored in a dry loft. 



FIG. 26. A box tester for seed corn. Upon muslin cloth squares are drawn and 

 numbered. On each square are laid five kernels from an ear of the same number. When 

 the tester is filled, the sawdust pad shown at the left is placed to keep the grain moist. 

 (Davis's "Productive Farming.") 



Examining Seed Corn. To determine by examination whether 

 seed corn will grow, first make a careful study of good, bright, sound 

 corn that is known to grow well. Know in particular how a good 

 germ looks when cut open with a sharp knife. Note that the germ 

 is neither brittle nor very soft, but cuts about like solid cheese. Then 

 this rule may be accepted: Any discoloration of either the grain 

 or any part of the germ, or any departure from normal texture, indi- 

 cates weakened vitality. A careful man may discard most poor 

 germinating ears by examination. 



Germination Tests. There are occasions when enough good, 

 sound ears are found only with difficulty, and it is necessary to take 

 a great many ears of doubtful germinating qualities. 



First take a random sample of 100 ears and, taking 3 kernels from 

 each, make a general test. If less than 90 per cent of the kernels pro- 

 duce good sprouts, it would then be advisable to test each ear sepa- 



