The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1907-03-28
TESTING THE $50 corn.

TESTING THE SEED CORN.
There are three chief requisites to a
large yield of corn good seed, good
soil and proper care. Furthermore, it /
is clear that even with the best of soil
and care a full crop of corn cannot be
harvested where there is only half a
stand. To secure the proper stand the
seed must be the best possible, and it
is at this point that scientific testing
of every ear from which seed is taken
comes in. For the benefit of those
readers who may not be fortunate
enough to hear lecture on the "gos-
PEP of good seed corn as delivered by
Professor Holden and other experts
from different state experiment sta
tons we give below the method of
testing recommended by him and illus
trated in his lectures. A prime fea-
ture of this test is that it not only re-
veals those ears in the kernels of which
the germ is dead, but also those in
which there is weak vitality-kernels
which may sprout weakly, but which
never produce an ear, yet in many
cases do produce tassel which scat
tiers its facilitating pollen for rods
around The advantage Of the Holden
test is that it enables one to spot the
dead and weak germed ear, a thing
which cannot be done If the corn is
tested after it is shelled and the kerr
nels from such ears are scattered
through that which is good. The meth
cd of testing the corn is as follows:
The termination box is simple af-
fair and can be made by any one in
an hours time. Any box about six
inches deep and by feet in size
may be used. Fill the box about half
full of moist sand, dirt or sawdust,
well pressed down, so that it will leave
a smooth, even surface. In case saw
dust is used it should be put in a gun
ny sack and set in tub of warm wa
ter for half an hour, so that it will be
thoroughly moistened before using
the box and rule it off checkerboard
fashion one and a half inches each
way. Number the checks 1, 2, 3, and so
on, and place it over the sawdust and
tack to the box at the corners and
edges. Lay out the ears to be tested
side by side on the floor; remove one
kernel from near the butt, middle and
tip of the ear; turn the ear over and
remove three kernels from the opposite
side in like manner, making six kerr
nels in all, thus securing a sample
from the entire ear. Place the six kerr
they were taken. Use care that the
kernels do not get mixed with the ker-
nels from the ear next to it. After the
kernels are removed boards may be
laid over the rows of corn to keen
them in place until the termination is
known. Place the kernels from ear of
corn No. in square No. 1 Of the ger
mination box, from ear No. in square
No. 2, and so on with all the ears.
Then place over this a cloth considera-
bly, larger than the box. Cover with
about two inches Of moist sand, dirt
VI SdWQuSI dllu Keep Ill a WdIuu pldCG
SO that it will not freeze. The sitting
room will perhaps be the most suitable
place. The kernels will terminate N
eight to nine days. Then remove the
cover carefully to avoid misplacing the
kernels in the squares. A piece of thin
cloth placed over the kernels before
the covering is put on will prevent the
kernels from sticking to the upper
cover. Examine the kernels in the ger
mination box. For example, the kerr
nels in squares Nos. ], II and 20 have
failed to grow, and some of the kerr
nels in squares Nos. 2, 3, 4, 9, II and
Is have refused to grow or show weak
termination. The corresponding ears
should be rejected. The ears showing
weak termination should be treated
the same as worthless ears