16 BULLETIN 52T , U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



27 inches wide. A box of the dimensions given above is just the 

 right width for canton flannel once folded, allowing for shrinkage. 



For use, soak the cloth in water and place the half of the cloth, 

 double thickness, which has been marked in squares, in the bottom 

 of the germinating box. Place the kernels from ear No. 1, germ 

 side up, in square No. 1, and so on, as, already described. When 

 all of the squares have been filled fold the other end of the cloth 

 carefully over the kernels. If during the sampling the cloths have 

 become dry, sprinkle them well with water. 



The principal advantage of this method is that it is almost impos- 

 sible to injure the corn by the addition of too much water, as is 

 frequently done where tests are made in sand or sawdust. 



Fig. 24.— Rag-doll seed tester. 



In making the box, follow directions (except with regard to dimen- 

 sions) given for the box shown in figure 22. One should have no 

 difficulty in figuring the amount of material required, cutting the 

 pieces into the proper lengths and assembling them. 



In figure 24 is shown what is known as the rag-doll tester. 1 This 

 is one of the cheapest as well as most convenient and accurate 

 methods of testing seed corn. It requires no box. 



To make this tester, secure sheeting of a good quality and tear into strips from 8 

 to 10 inches wide and 3 to 5 feet long. "Where these are to be used very much it is 

 well to hem the edges, as otherwise the ravelings sometimes disarrange the kernels in 

 unrolling. Each cloth should then be marked with a heavy pencil; first, lengthwise 

 in the middle, and then crosswise, as shown in the accompanying illustration, making 

 squares about 3 inches wide. Number the squares as shown in the illustration. 



Moisten one of these cloths and lay it out on a board of convenient size in front 

 of the ears which are to be tested. Place kernels from each ear in squares numbered 

 to correspond to number of ear. When the cloth has been filled, begin at the upper 

 end with ears Nos. 1 and-2, etc., and roll the cloth up. Since the cloth its moistened, 



1 The description and illustration are based on Iowa Agricultural Experiment Station Bulletin 135. 



