COST OF TESTING 127 



COST OF TESTING — ^The cost of testing seed corn involves the 

 following factors :* 



1. Time required to prepare the tester to receive the corn. 



2. Time required in placing the corn in the tester. 



3. Attention required by the tester after the test is begun. 



4. Time required to read the test. 



5. Possibility of seeing all parts of the roots and shoots as an aid 

 in determining relative vigor. 



6. Amount of corn which may be tested at one time. 



7. Comparative cost of tester. 



8. Durability of tester. 



9. Compactness and lightness in moving tester from one place 

 to another. 



The following statement taken from a personal letter from a seed 

 corn grower who tested every ear of seed shows the approximate 

 cost of testing seed corn with the sawdust box. Remember though 

 that the germination boxes, cloths, etc., used in these tests and figured 

 in the cost of testing may be used over several times. 



"Yours at hand and contents noted. It cost me to test my corn 

 last winter, as nearly as I can figure, about 28 cents per bushel. 



"I used boxes 34x4 feet that held 4 1-2 bushels or 358 ears. There 

 were eight of these boxes, with four and one-half yards of muslin to 

 the box. Sawdust free. 



Muslin, 35 yards at g cents $ 3.15 



Time to get boxes ready, 4 hours at 15 cents 60 



Cost of filling box with kernels, 3 hours per box, and 8 



boxes 24 hours at 15 cents 3.60 



Oil to furnish heat, one gallon per day at 12 cents (Time 



to germinate; 10 days) 1.20 



Time to take ofif test, 10 hours at 15 cents 1.50 



Total $10.05 



Thirty-six bushels $10.05 



One bushel, almost 28" 



•Iowa Bulletin No. 135 



