214 SCHOOL AND HOME GARDENING 



removed at once. Several good plans are devised for using 

 individual ears of corn. They are as simple and rapid as 

 the composite method of testing seed corn. 



Box Method. — First wet the sawdust in a shallow box. 

 On this spread a white cloth which has been marked ofE into 

 squares about 2 in. X 2 in. The squares should be numbered 

 from left to right so as to read in order of lines on a printed 

 page. The ears of corn to be tested are numbered with small 

 squares of paper fastened to each ear by means of a slender 

 nail thrust through the paper into the butt of the cob. Five 

 or ten kernels are taken from different parts of the first 

 ear, avoiding the butts and tips. These kernels are placed 

 on square numbered one; and so for each of the other ears. 

 After the squares are all covered, place a cloth or wet paper 

 over them and cover this with an inch or more of wet sawdust. 

 Allow this to remain in a warm room for ten days or so. The 

 results may be seen by raising the top layer and comparing the 

 germination power of the different ears (Fig. 120). Any ears 

 which show low vitality by failure to germinate or weakness 

 of germs should be discarded and used for feed instead of 

 for seed. 



Rag Doll Method. — This method of testing seed corn is 

 the simplest and easiest of all. It is used for testing a sample 

 of each ear of seed corn. Secure muslin or sheeting and tear 

 into strips ten inches wide and several feet long. Eavelings 

 on the edge may be carefully drawn away or the edges may be 

 hemmed. The cloth should be marked with a black pencil 

 lengthwise in the middle and then with cross marks about three 

 inches apart. Number all the squares, beginning at one end 

 of the cloth; numbers one and two are side by side at one end. 

 The odd numbers will then be down the left column and the 

 even numbers down the right column. Wet the cloth, wring 

 it well, and spread it on a table or smooth board. Remove 

 either five or ten kernels from ear number one and place them 

 on square number one. Take a like number from ear number 



