The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1916-01-25
EAR TEST seed CORN
AGRONOMIST OF THE STATE COL
LEGE TELLS FARMERS TO
TEST SEED CORN WELL.

BTookings, Jan. 25.-Ear test
your seed corn, especially II the pre-
liminary composite test does not
show high termination" says Agron-
omist A. N. Hume, OF State college.
1T Is not so important which method
of testing be adopted as that the test
ing shall be done and done well. II
Will be time SOC TO give the matter
strict attention"
DIR. Hume suggests the rag doll
test as a simple method which may be
easily followed by any n He de-
scribes the method as follows:
THE rag doll test gets It's name
from the fact that corn to be tested
is rolled into a piece of moist cotton
flannel or other porous cloth and
tied. When so rolled and tied IL re-
sembles a rag doll. The ear test
should be made In February or March
before the farmer gets too busy with
early small grain seeding.
Making the Rag Doll.
When making a test of seed corn
by the rag doll method 1t is first nee
essary to have a piece OF cotton cloth
of any desirable and convenient
size. 1t may be OF the usual width
or somewhat narrower, and three or
four feet in length. Before begin
ming the work of testing lay this
cloth smoothly on a table and with a
three~foot rule and pencil mark ii off
into squares Two inches by three
inches In size. The squares are for
Z sI. - 80 ennnrnttnn tho Lnrnalp
taken from the separate ears OF corn,
the kernels from one ear being put
into one square. from another ear in
to another square. etc.
when the cloth is ruled off as de.
scribed, Ii is we'll to dip ii into water
and wiring 1t out before beginning Ia
put the kernels into place. When the
cloth is thus dampened. the kernels
do not slip off easily and they may be
laid upon the square without much
danger OF becoming displaced.
Selecting the Kernels OF Corn.
Take the dampened cloth and
start To roll at one end. Take the
first ear TO be tested and extract
three or more kernels from II with a
pocket knife. Take the kernels from
the butt, middle and tip OF the ear. SC
that they represent all portions OF the
ear as nearly as possible. Lay the
kernels OF this ear into square No. l,
and set aside the ear with It's appro'
pirate number. The point Is that the
squares on the cloth shall correspond
to the numbers OF the ears tested
Any device for keeping track of the
kernels and corresponding ears will
be satisfactory.
Proceed likewise with ear No. 2
placing It's sample kernels In square
No. 2 on the cloth. Continue this un'
til the squares on the cloth are filled
ears. Roll the cloth upon itself from
the end where the roll was started a
the beginning. The folds of cloth
will hold the kernels In place by pros
sure.
Bind the roll snugly with cord. II
will require four to ten days OF 7t
degrees temperature to complete thu
test. In the meantime 1t is a gooC
plan to place the rag doll in an empt,
tin bucket and cover IL with a lid
This will prevent evaporation ant
keep the kernels sprouting. Look a
the cloth each day to see that IL ii
damp, but not water logged. Ii 1
grows too dry moisten it a little.
After a sufficient time. take ou
the rag doll and unroll 1t on som
smooth surface. Keep account o