The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1912-04-05
How TO Test Seed
Corn Correctly
Too Much Care Cannot Be Taken If
You Want a Big Yield Of
Corn This Year

In connection with ..The Corn Grow
er's, Seven Rules, . published on second
page of the C. G. w. Ry., folder for
March we find the following directions
for testing seed corn which is surely
timely advice. Any one wishing one of
these folders should call on a Great
Western agent or send to A. L. Craig,
G. P. A. of c. CIV: Chicago, Ill.
Make box thirty inches square in
side and four to six inches deep.
Soak bushel of old sawdust over
night in warm water. Drain out all
surplus water and pack one-half of the
sawdust evenly into the box in layer
about one and one-half inches deep.
Tear off piece of good muslin thirty
two inches square. Use good cloth.
Light weight muslin, cheese clothsor
foursacking will not do.
Mark this cloth off, checkerboard
fashion, in to one hundred squares two
and one-half inches each way. Leave a
three and one-half inch margin all
around the cloth.
Spread this cloth on the sawdust in
2 the box and tack it aronnd the sides of
the box.
Lay one hundred ears of seed corn
ont on floor or table made of boards.
drive nails in front of the first ear and
after every tenth ear, dividing them
into punches Of ten ears each. Num-
ber the first ear in each bunch l, II, 81,
81 etc., by writing the number on the
floor or table or on tag attached to
the ear.
Take six kernels from different parts
OF ear No. Land place in square No. l
in the box. Take six kernels from ear
No. 2 and place in square No. 2. Con-
tinue in this way until six kernels from
each ear are in the box.
Place the six kernels from each ear
close together, germ side up, in the
middle of their square, putting all ker-
nels with their crown or upper ends to-
wards one side of the box.
Tear off another piece of good cloth
twenty-nine inches, square, soak It in
warm water and spread it carefully
over the kernels in the box. Do not
stretch this cloth tight and be careful
not to disturb the kernels.
Spread another cloth about five feet
square over the box, poke it down into
the corners aud pour in the other half
bushel of sawdust.
Work the sawdust carefully into the
corners snd edges of the box, and pack
it down hard, an over the box. Fold
the edges Of the cloth back over the
sawdust. ssy
Set the box in q warm room, raising
the side Of the box towards which the
crown or top end of the kernels point
about four. inches. The raising of the
box. will cause the stem sprouts TO-
grow ont side by side instead Of curling
lp as theydo. when thesboxfis level.
When the stem sprouts Of good kerr
nels are about two and one-half inches
long, roll off the top cloth containing
the sawdust. Then remove the second
cloth carefully SO as not to disturb the
kernels:
Examine the six kernels in each
square carefully. Discard all ears
from which one: q more kernels fail to
grow also ears whose kernels grew
weak, and those in which the reddish
eoloFGd mould injured the stem or root
sprouts,
scald the cloths and sawdust before
using 9 second time 30 as to kill any
mould which may have developed in the
/ first test. \;
WIN Divide Properly
The following letter sent Sto the editor
Of the Steele Ozone tells Of q Meeting
held near Steele. There are socialists
in this county but do not think they are
Aaking this means Of dividing things
more equally in this world. The letter
follows
= ,..s,y, % f0fs i,