TIME OF TESTING 115 



Through the influence of the agricultural press, the .short courses, 

 corn trains, and a general movement in advance in farming methods, 

 corn growers are recognizing the importance of seed testing. Yet 

 the awakening seems slow. Out of 182 representative farmers 

 throughout the state answering inquiries from the Farm Crops De- 

 partment, 79 tested every ear of their seed corn, 85 tested in a general 

 way, and 18 did not test at all. 



The Time to Test. Some corn growers make a practice of run- 

 ning a preliminary test during the month of January. This is done 

 in order to find out whether or not all the seed is badly damaged. 

 Should such be the case, other seed could be procured and tested be- 

 fore planting time. The method has a sound basis and should be 

 followed more closely. One of the serious difficulties in the way is 

 the liability of freezing during the test. The method is especially 

 applicable to seedsmen who should know how much reliable seed 

 they have on hand before the advertising season opens. 



The regular and final test should be made during the month of 

 March. There is less danger of the young sprouts freezing from ex- 

 posure, and by this time the granary or barn has been emptied to 

 such an extent that floor space is available. The planting season is 

 near at hand and the tested seed has less chance to change in vitality 

 from the time of testing until it is in the ground. The' work can be 

 completed, and the corn shelled, sorted, and sacked ready to plant, 

 leaving the seed room free. 



MAKING THE TEST.— Fitting Up the Testing Box. The num- 

 ber of ears to be tested determines to a certain extent the size of the 

 testing box. A convenient size for the practical corn grower is a 

 box sufficiently large to hold kernels from 200 ears. This will re- 

 quire a box 24 by 48 inches. Six inches in depth is not objectionable 

 should fencing lumber be the only thing available. This box should 

 have a layer of two inches of wet sawdust packed tightly over the 

 bottom. It will be found convenient to wet the sawdust in an old 

 sack, letting sack and sawdust soak in warm water for 20 or 30 

 minutes, that the sawdust may nave equal moisture throughout. 

 While the soil is Nature's seedbed, yet young plants in sprouting 

 feed entirely upon the plant food stored up within the kernel. 



