The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1909-05-07

SJdJlOu III OulO W U6 JSSJSus uSSS
samples came from every section OF
the state and were made up in each
case of 200 kernels taken from 100
ears, thus giving a representative of
each mans seed These samples
were given careful examination
test. This large number of tests
show that an average of II per cent.
was dead, that is, either the stem or
root sprouts or both failed to grow,
and that an additional 19 per cent.
was low in vitality and unfit to
plant, leaving only "a per cent. of
good steed. If every person inter-
ested in growing corn could have
seen the termination tests of these
thousands of samples of corn, it
would not be necessary to appeal to
you for the testing of six kernels of
corn from each ear intended for
| planting. How to make the germin-
alton teSt.-Use a box or 5 inches
deep and about 2 by 8 it. in size,
! fill the box about half full of saw
dust or moist earth, packed down
firmly so that it will leave a smooth,
|
used, it should be placed in a sack,
then placed in tub of water for
half an hour so that it will be
thoroughly moistened before using.
Take a piece of white cloth about
the size of the box, rule it off check
er fashion one and one-half inches
each way, number the checks, /, 2,
| of OF
in the box and tack it on the box in
the corners and edges sufficiently to
hold it to it's place. Lay out the
ears of corn to be tested side by side
on the floor in rows, and drive two
nails at the ends of the rows to hold
the ears in place, remove one kernel
from near the butt, another from the
the ear; turn the ear over and re-
move three kernels from the opposite
side in like manner, making six kerr
nels in all, thus securing represen-
tative sample from the entire ear
Place the six kernels at the end of
the ear from which they were taken.
Use care that the kernels do not be-
the ear next to it. After the ker-
nels are removed, boards may be
laid over the rows of corn to keep the
ears in place until the termination
is known. Place the kernels from
ear of corn No. | in square No. | of
the termination box, from ear No. .
in square No. . and so on with the
lyo, al n11 nf
place over this a cloth considerably
larger than the box, cover with about
two inches of moist sand dirt or saw
dust and keep in a warm place. In
about eight or nine days, when the
stem sprouts from the most vigorous
kernels are about two or three inches
Ions, the covering should be remoV-
ed, care should be taken not to dis
place the kernels. CA cloth spread
over the kernels before the covering
is put on will prevent the kernels
from sticking to the upper cover).
Now take a thorough study of the
six kernels in each square in the ger
mination box and carefully note those
which either failed to grow or are
fail to throw out all such as these.
If the condition are unfavorable,
they will fail to grow, or growing
will produce only weak stalks, and
bearing nothing or only small in
ferior ears. But this does not, by
any means, measure the damage done
by these inferior stalks. They pro-
Of Of tn
drift over the field to fertilize the
silks of ears on vigorous stalks, thus
continuing their worthlesSnesS from
generation to generation. If six
kernels from every ear intended for
planting on every farm in the United
States were tested in a termination
box and all the weak ones discarded
the crop of the United States annu-
ally. There is no one thing that
costs so little and would add so much
to the profits of the farmer. There
is no good reason why every ear
should not be tested. Harvesting
and storing seed corn. In every ear
of corn intended for planting next
SpIlnS DIS udINSoItu IHlS ldll, uOI
later than the middle of October,
and hung up in the attic where it
could dry thoroughly before the bit
ter cold freezes of November or De-
cember, millions of dollars would be
added to the value of the next years
corn crop. While there are many
who exercise great care in the har-
vesting and storing of the seed corn,
yet we must all agree that the ma
jority have become extremely care
less, often depending upon occasional
good care found throughout the en-
tire husking season for seed, and in
thousands of cases the seed for plant
ing in the spring, is simply selected
from the crib. There must be tre-
mendous waking up to the import
ance of the better care of seed corn,
especially in the corn states.
We have Arbor Day and it is all
right. Would it not also be we'll to
have a Corn Harvest Day? A day
when every one should begin the har-