The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1914-03-25
MANNING, S. G. WEDNESDAY. MARCH 25 1914
TEST YOUR SEED CORN

| lESl lOUN DELI IOAlS
FARMER CAN MAKE HIS OWN
TERMINATION TEST.
More Bushels to the Acre Can be
Produced by Making Quick Tests
at No Expense.
Every farmer In South Carolina
who plants corn should begin select
Zig his seed for planting at once, is
the advice Of Prof. w. L. Hutchinson,
Of Clemson college. Prof. Hutchin-
son urges every farmer to make ger
miuation test Of his seed, which nu-
merous experiments have proved be-
yond a doubt will result in. a large
increase In yield. An ear-to-row test
with seed that has been tested for
terminating powers will be sure to
pay a farmer handsomely in future
crops, but even il he makes only the
termination test this year, he is like
ly to have his yield increased from
1--WE to ten bushels an acre, at least.
The test is so simple and requires so
little time IN proportion to results
that there is no farmer in the State
who can not make 1t.
The average farmer In this State
selects his planting ears by sight
alone, picking out the ears which ap-
pear sound. Unless he is an expert
and has had training in corn judging,
this method is not Of great value to
him. What he should Go Is to select
his best looking ears and then put
these through a termination test.
After Selecting the best looking
ears, arrange them side by side on
planks, driving a tenpenny nail after
each tenth ear. The ears should then
be numbered consecutively, which can
be done by marking the number OF
each ear on the plan with lead pencil.
They should then be left until after
the termination test is completed,
except when they are taken out one
by one for the purpose Of getting ker-
nels from them.
One Of the simplest and best meth
ods OF testing is the use Of a saw
dust box. Use box about two feet
square and four inches deep. Fill
the box to within an inch and half
Of the top with sawdust, we'll packed.
Select a piece Of white cloth little
larger than the box and mark this to
tell the number Of any Of them with
out trouble. BY leaving outside rows
vacant all around the box, there will
be about one hundred squares. Tack
the cloth inside the box so that 1t
rests firmly and smoothly over the
sawdust.'
With the box near at hand, take the
ears from the plank one by one. Sc
let from each ear six kernels, taking
them from different parts OF the ear
and no two from the same row. Place
the six kernels from near No. In
square No. on the cloth, and so on
with all the ears. Kernels should be
laid with the germ side up. Put each
ear back in its place on the plank.
when each square in the box, e1-
cept those in the outside rows, con-
tains its six kernels, sprinkle water
into the box until the corn and saw
dust are thoroughly moistened, tax
, ing care not to disturb the kernels.
Then place dry white cloth carefully
: over the kernels and another cloth on
TOP Of this one Finally, cover the
top cloth with saw list until the box
is level full.
Keep the box In a fairly warm
room, leaving It undisturbed for
seven days. Then catch the ends OF
the TOP cloth and raise the cloth care
fully from the box. This will take
of the top layer Of sawdust without
disturbing the corn. Raise the sec
ond cloth, still using great care, and
It is then possible to read the tests
See which kernels have gerninated
we'll and which have terminated
poorly. II square No. 16 shows poor
termination, go to your plank and
take out ear No. Is, throwing 1t Into
the feed pile. Do this with each ear
whose kernels show poor germinattns
powers. The ears left on your plank
will then be good ones and you are
ready for your planting. If you dc
not secure a good crop you can fee
certain that it was not the fault o1
the seed.
Use one box for every one hundred
ears. II desired, however. a larger
box may be used. But that described
above is the most convenient size tt
handle and should satisfy the need:
Of the average farmer.
The time to make this test is reall!
In winter, when the ears which turr
out we'll are stored for planting II
spring. However, If it was not done
In winter, there is still ample time tt
make the test now and the farme'
who makes It has the unanimous
opinion f all the experts that 1t vii
bring him rich profits.
Caught by Bloodhounds.