SEED SELECTION 
231 
PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS 
208. Seed Selection. — Farmers who try to secure full 
returns for the labor expended make it a point to select 
seed carefully. In several states granges and other organi¬ 
zations offer courses of instruction *as to what constitutes 
good seed and form clubs among the boys and girls who 
compete for prizes for yields of superior quantity and quality 
from selected seed. 
Testing of Seed. — The appearance of seed alone, how¬ 
ever, is not a sufficient basis for the production of a full 
crop, so it must be tested for its viability. There are many 
methods of making these tests, depending on the size of the 
seeds and the number to be tested. Anyone can perform 
the tests for himself who can provide suitable growing 
conditions for the seeds (see page 227). It is essential to 
success that accurate records be kept of the results of the 
experiments and tests. 
Preparation of Soil. — Having learned from tests that 
he has seed which has a high percentage of viability, the 
farmer’s next problem is how to prepare the soil for it. The 
preparation consists in making it fine and soft by plowing 
and harrowing, and in mixing the fertilizer thoroughly with 
it. The depth to which soil is plowed and the degree of 
fineness to which it is reduced are determined by the kind of 
crop to be planted and the amount of cultivation it can 
receive while it is growing. In any case, it must allow the 
roots to penetrate it easily, for it is from the soil that the 
roots gather moisture and food material for the plant. 
In addition to knowing that his seed will grow and that the 
soil is in proper condition for it, the farmer must know when 
to plant his crops. Some will not be injured by light frosts, 
while others must not be planted till all danger of frosts 
is past. He must know too, how deep to plant his seeds, 
and how firmly to press the soil over them in order to have 
