4 BULLETIN 653, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
actually perform as many as time will permit of the operations for 
gathering and storing seed corn as are outlined in this particular 
bulletin. The United States Census Report of 1910 gives the na- 
tional corn acreage as 98,382,665 acres. If seed selection could in- 
crease the yield 3 bushels each acre, what would be the increased 
income at 60 cents a bushel ? 
References—Farmers’ Bulletins 253,* 415. 
LESSON IV. 
_ Subject —Testing seed corn. 
Topics for study.—tImportance of testing the vitality of corn. 
How to make germinating boxes. Care of the germinating box. — 
Ears to be saved for seed. Grading of the seed ears. 
Exercises—Have the pupils study and make the germinating test 
as outlined in Farmers’ Bulletin 253.* 
Ask the pupils to test at home all the seed corn needed for the i 
project field. Most parents will be glad to have the pupil conduct — 
the seed testing at home, and this will be valuable practice. From 
the results of these tests have the pupils estimate what would be the 
gain (on the basis of recent yields) resulting from the rejection of — 
poor seed corn. If the pupils will also test some ears from the corn — 
cribs, they will probably prove that the crib method of ae corn | 
is an suitable for seed corn. 
References—Farmers’ Bulletins 253,* pp. 8-10; 415, p. 10; 537, 
p. 9. 
LESSON V. 
Subject.—Place of corn in crop rotation. 
Topics for study.—(1) Reasons for rotation: (a) Different crops | 
make different requirements of the soil; (0) root systems differ; (c) — 
crops should be selected to suit varying seasonal conditions; (d) the — 
culture of one crop prepares for a succeeding crop of a particular 
kind; (e) distribution of labor. (2) Corn in systems of rotation. 
Hxercises—Draw plans of the home farm, showing fields, and | 
write in each field the crops in the order in which they were grown | 
during the last five years. Write to the State agricultural college for 
(a) a system of crop rotation in grain farming and for (0) a system 
of rotaticn in live-stock farming. 
lveferences. —Farmers’ Bulletins 242*; 310,* pp. 12, 13, 21, 22% 
325 *; 422 *; 537. : 
LESSON VI. 
Subject.—Preparation of the seed bed. 
Topics for study—sSoil conditions necessary. Time of plowing. 
Pvrpose of plowing. Depth of plowing. Characteristics of a good 
seed bed. When should cover crops be turned under for corn? 
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