THE 52 
GARDEN YARD 
more corn without any additional labor or ex- 
pense. That is one trick in making farming 
pay. It is a trick that holds good with every 
garden crop as well as with corn. It won’t do to 
wait until harvest time to find out if the seed 
you have planted is any good, if you have to 
buy your seed and want to make a profit 
from your garden the first season. This simple 
method of testing seeds may save you time and 
money. Get your seed early in the season, 
select about one hundred and put them between 
two moist pieces of flannel, which in turn are 
placed between two soup plates. Keep the 
flannel moist (not soaking wet with water stand- 
ing in the dishes), and as soon as the seeds have 
sprouted, count the proportion of live ones. 
If only a few of them have sprouted, you will 
know that you cannot afford to give ground up 
to the use of such poor seed. The larger the 
proportion of your test seeds that sprout, or 
“ germinate,” as this process is called, the better 
for your profit, if you plant from this same stock 
or assortment. 
Be sure you deal with a seed house that has a 
reputation at stake; and if possible go there 
yourself and see the man who really knows 
about seed: generally there is only about one 
man in a concern who does know his business. 
