PREPARING SEED CORN FOR PLANTING 125 
it to the growing embryo. Too much moisture, however, 
means too little oxygen. This is the principal reason for 
seed rotting in heavy, wet land. Corn cannot make rapid 
growth without an abundance of air. 
THE Srep TESTER 
Conditions which apply to the field apply equally well 
to the seed corn tester. If the seed corn tester is ‘to show 
accurately by its results the true condition and the relative 
value of the different ears, it must provide sufficient moist- 
ure, give ample ventilation, and keep the temperature be- 
tween sixty and one hundred degrees. It had better fall 
below sixty degrees than go above one hundred degrees. In 
order not to give some of the kernels an advantage over 
others, the moisture, temperature and ventilation should be 
uniform in all parts of the tester. 
The trays should be pigeonholed off in such a manner 
that the kernels from each ear can be placed in a separate 
pocket so that their identity will not be lost. A good time 
to test seed corn is in March. This is late enough for all 
the ears to show their true condition and is early enough to 
allow the farmer to procure more seed, if the test is unsatis- 
factory, before spring work requires his attention. 
SHELLING AND GRADING CoRN FOR PLANTING 
Before corn is shelled, it should be carefully tipped and 
butted since the tip and butt grains are irregular in size, 
besides being smaller and larger than the type desired. After 
the uneven grains are shelled off the tip and butt ends, the 
remaining kernels should be carefully examined and all 
off-colored or undesirable grains removed. 
The ears are now shelled. If the shelling is done by 
