The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1911-04-22

h VIVA III co rs 4
HOW \ ] 4 y . TEST y
BY 81; We: YORK INC, i:
saperintend dent Agrlealtural s
!; Ext ensio Oh " a 4 Z
Westy irginia Iinigersity. j
:ssssas III
/. AS q result of testing eighty ears oi!
corn selected at random ron those
exhibited lat the tate corn Sow, iii
January tie students Of \ lie short
Course at the College ofE. Agriculture
found that 20 per- cent, or one. affn,
iofs them we're worthless for seed ID II
Planting an ear which viii not grow
means q loss Of from twoitoS ases bush.
elssper acre at harvest. Thus theSms,,
who plants ten acres, Of corn VITA
seed % which fone.tifth fails toSgerniis
nate loses, from 60 To- $50 bushels ,of;
corn worth from $50 70 SIS Sat Ei5o
cents a bushel.: 4 Il Il Pc Il
~ Is known; that seed corn through
3ont the central states slpoorer as ~
CARDS termination than It has been
forlyearsF $50 that the wise farmer win
test his seed corn at once orshuyt only,
that which has been tested and Il
guaranteed over s5 per cent perfect,
which he should check BY; making his
own tests Of It. Z
The termination Boz
Make a box a foot wide; four feet
long and two inches deep. FIJI itlwita
sand and lsetS IT in a warm place: Then
lay Il on III two inch squares by.
means Of Irvine fastened to tacks
placed attwo inch intervals along the
sides and ends. Of the box. Beginning
at one corner number along the side
;of3the box from i TO "a: and from the
same point letteraac across the end from
Alto @. The corn planted in the
corner next to l and Anvil be nun.
bered AL; That in the opposite corner
will be G24.y IA t3.i 3 (, .5g4
Taking tho Sample.
Hi A box Of the size described will
provide for testing IA ears Of corn
enough, IL 3foar-tffttis Of the ears are
good, to plant eight or ten acres. The
kernels should be taken from different
parts of the ear. Six grains are enough
fora fairly satisfactory test; though
some farmers are satisfied with five.
and others, including myself, prefer to
use ten grains from each ear. A two
inch square will accommodate ten
grains fairly we'll.
:t Arranging the Sample.
I In planting the corn in a tester great
care should be taken. Taking the
grains. from the first ear press them
In the sand in the square numbered
Al, and Immediately give the ear that
number. Plant from the next ear IN
the square numbered 81, and so on
tin the row is full. marking each. ear
to correspond with the square. Then
begin. the next cross row and number
the ear from which 1t is planted AZ;
and so on to the last corner. G232 IL
You are testing 144 ears. If you have
but, fifty. ears to test a much smaller
box viii serve your purpose.
G!i Care Of the termination Box. !
: After the corn is planted in the
tester sprinkle enough sand over the
box to cover every grain completely.
Over the whole box spread an oil
blanket or few thicknesses OF bur.
lap. Then sprinkle with water often
enough to keep the sand moist. Keep
the BOX in warm room. as heat Is
essential for satisfactory termination.
In few days. II the room is reason
ably warm. the corn will begin TO
sprout. In a week all Of 1t that Is
good ought to, be up. The condition
OF the corn can be examined from day
to day by turning back the cover.
The Results.
When most of the corn has begun to
show above the surface OF the sand
It may be necessary to remove the
covering. If most Of the corn is up In
week. 1t will be safe to guess that
the rest Is dead or too weak to be TT
for seed. Then the careful work OF
counting must be done, II square Dl3
shows only half as many sprouts as
there were grains feed ear DID to The
chickens. Indeed. II any square shows
any dead grains It will be well to dis.
card the ear from which that square
was planted. ~,
r Try. It. .s&,t.,4
II you plant but one acre Of corn
such a test will pay YOU better for 4
few hours time than any other, way
You can spend 1t. Cost is practically
nothing. II consistently used Its value
will surprise you. So try It!
.SS HIGH SCHOOL DAY. :