The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1911-02-07
TESTING sEEllElRIl

49, = n = -
i without testing that any particular
lear Of corn Is in perfect growing con.
dition? The corn may have ripenedi
thoroughly may have been gathered
at the proper time: may have been.
carcfull ShungTin tbciattlc orScorncrib;i
,end may have passadsthe winter with.
/, out visible harm8 But sometimes al.
iltics and corncrlbs leak where they are
mot expected to leak: Sometimes the
SNOW blows in where 1t is not expect.
! ed to enter. II does happen that a lit.
tile moisture at . critical time leads ia
disastrous freezing. aorSthe; corn may
mold as It often does. The fact Is
that: corn may be dead without the
kecnest;e eye being able TO see that tits
dead a
so the one sure way the seed con.
dition OF corn Is TO test It. i3si
An unusually careful farmer made
an iear.to.roWs test Tor me last season.
When the corn was ready TO cut. lio
saved a sample lot Or cars 10 ca carry on
the experiment this yanr.f Then bc
7carerully mi M Garn ~ /, I hg.;.a,
hanging the basket In a safe pace.
But he made a little mistake. Tho
samplesfromt different rows we're sen.
nrated by means 5of sheets III paper:
and the result was that Inc corr aid
mot get enough ali, and and So heated and
grew. and was worthless. No farmer
can be too careful with his seed corn
How8shal the corn be tested?
Make "a box a foot wide. four feet
long. and two inches deep: FIJI Il. wltl,
sand and set It in warm place Then
lay It on in two.inch suuaffes by means
Of Irvine fastened to tacks placed Al
two inch intervals along the sides and md
ends Of the box. Beginning n me
corner. number along, tlie side Of tbe.
box from 10 al and from tbe same
snolnt letter across the end from 4 10
4 G. The corn planted I'm tho cornery
next toll and a WIN be numbered A..
|tliat In the opposite corner wjll no
4 GA. Sss'i 4 :. z gi 4 I.
& A box or the size described viii nro.;
wide for testing IA, ears iof carn-
enough, II fourflftbs III tho <eas !, !, .
good, 10 plant eiEhtior ten acres The
kernels should be ta:;eti from dine rc,,nnt
fparts OF 8 the ear.i4 SIX prains ,ro
enough, for a fairly satisfactory teest.
Though some farmers are safisyied
Iwitn FIVE, and others 4 inclndIns, mv.
self, prefer to use ten.3 grains from
each eur al two-incii soi,nre will No. /,
commodate ten grains fairly. Well Is; 81.
In plantingftEel corn In the tester
;Igreat care shouldt he taken. Taking
the grains from tho first; ear. i51 :nress
4 them in the sunda il, the; so,,are nm.
bcred Al, and gimmediate!y r,yc Ma s
i ear that number. Plant ifror, ttc,noxt
ear in the square; numbered nj md
$50 no till tho row is!ru;l maxim, ~ ~,
car TO correspond with the so,,ore
Then begin The snex t cross. row and.
|uumber the car from which tits plant.
/ ed AZ: and so On to tbe last corner or,
GA. II You are testing la ears II
,,you have but fifty ears e;l. TO test n mucb
smaller box Will serve your pi,rposc
/ After the corn is planted In the test.
err. sprinkle enough sand over The
1box to cover every grain combletcly
Though it is not necessary that anv Of.
them be covered more than from 4
quarter to half an Finch. over the whole.
box spread All old blanket or a few
ithicknesses Of burlap, Then sprint,c
with water Ditch enough to keen tho
sand moist. In a few days, II the room m
Is reasonably warm. the corn vii, hcs
,Igin to sprout. In4from "a week 10 Ton
/ days all of-lt that is good ought ia bc
!up. The, condition of-the corn can beS
examlned from lnylto day BY turning,