CORN 



175 



tect dead kernels by an examination of tiie germs, yet we 

 can not always do so \vith any degree of certainty ; and 

 as for those which are alive, we are wholly unable to dis- 

 tinguish in this manner the kernels of strong vitality from 

 those which are weak. It follows that we can not be 

 sure of the vitality of our seed corn save by an actual 

 germination test. 



There are many 

 methods of testing 

 seed corn, although 

 the same principles un- 

 derlie all of them : 



First : Cloth, or any 

 other material which 

 touches the seed, 

 should be boiled or 

 some other method 

 used to kill the spores 

 of molds which may 

 otherwise destroy the 

 vitahty of the seed. 



Second; The ma- 

 terial in contact with 

 the seed should be uni- 

 formly moist, but not 

 wet. (Section 47.) 



Third: The seed 

 should be kept at a 

 fairly uniform temper- 

 ature of about seventy degrees Fahrenheit ; that is, at 

 about ordinary room temperature. (Section 48.) 



Fourth : The seed must not be so closely confined as 

 to exclude oxygen. (Exercise 20.) 



A few weeks before planting time in the spring, ger- 

 mination tests may be made for as manj^ patrons of the 

 school as the space and time will allow. 



Fig. 76. — A good waj' to store seed corn. 



