Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-02-22
A8riicuIturdl
.ggGduCatiOn
~ AND SUCCESSFUL EARRING
SEsZsz y ANDRMN ooULE
The Importance Of Testing Seed Corn

Many no doubt will recall that there
was a great deal OF rain last autumn,
followed by mild. open FALL Rains oc-
curing AT this season of the year be-
fore the corn is harvested very often
tend TO injure the terminating qualities
of the grain, and this is almost certain
to occur unless the seed was selected
with care. and then properly dried out
and stored so as TO protect il from Wee
vii attack and from inclement wealth
er. Even if the seed corn were saved
under ideal conditions, IL would sill be
advisable to test IL for there is Won
derful variation i'm the terminating pow
er of different ears, and one who inves-
tigates the subject will find out that
appearances in corn are very deceiving.
In other words, one cannot pick out high
terminating ears by examining them
with the eye. The testing of corn is
such a simple matter that one would
not suppose il would ever be neglected.
In practice, however, only a few farm
ers actually test their corn. The failure
10 do this Is responsible in large meas
ure for the poor stands of this cereal
which are so frequently observed. OF
course weather conditions may cause a
cart OF the seed to rot after il has been
planted, but il should be borne I'm mind
that the greater the indifference to the
character Of seed planted, the larger per-
centage of IL which IS likely to decay or
be destroyed by adverse weather condi-
tions. Hence, this is an added reason
why the corn should be tested for germi-
mating power before planting.
If one is to improve the yield and
quality of corn, he must select the seed
from high yielding plants possessed of
the characteristics which il is desired
TO perpetuate. Even then the progeny
from such stalks will not be uniform,
because the Individual grains, number
1000 to 1900 per ear, may have been
fertilized by pollen from a number Of
stalks. some of which possess quality
and some of which would be classed as
low yielders. The wise farmer will, of
course, make 1t a point to select his
seed with skill. and viii lno doubt give
attention to planting on a special seed
patch TO produce his seed corn for 1917
This. OF course, is a matter of the future,
but its Importance should not be over
looked, and therefore ii is emphasized
at this time. Under any circumstances,
no matter how the seed corn has been
procured or will be selected for planting
this spring, il should be tested. The
wise way TO secure seed is by the ear
method: that is, selecting likely ears
from plants which have developed sat
isfactorily. If this cannot be done, then
the ears selected from the crib somewhat
at random should be tested just the
same so as to insure only the vigorous
seed being chosen for planting.
In selecting ears for planting it is i'm
portant to remember that only those
should be chosen which are well form
ed; that is, of average size for the va
riety OF corn selected. The rows should
be straight and the grains well devel-
oped clear out to the end of the ear and
around the butt as well. The cob should
be small and the grain firmly attached
tc it. There should be no evidence Of
soft, immature or scurfy grains. Every
grain should be hard and firm and free
from mold or decay.
Having chosen an ear Of this kind, II
should be tested by the following sim
pie method which is practicable on every
farm: Take two grains on the opposite
sides of the ear near the tip, about the
middle. and near the butt: Take a large
sheet of cloth or blotting paper and lay
Il on in one-inch squares. Number these
squares and number the ears. A tag can
be attached to each ear to identity 1t
with the number corresponding to the
grains placed in each of the checks.
White blotting paper or cloth is prefer
able The six grains selected from each
ear should be laid in one of the squares.
The blotting paper or cloth should then
be kept we'll moistened and at a tenn
perature of an ordinary living room. not
lower than so or go degrees Fahrenheit.
At the end of about seven days the
srains should have terminated sufficient
" to tell something about the character
of the product of each ear. If all six
grains have sprouted vigorously, the
use of that particular ear will also be
justified. Where not more than four
grains have terminated, the ear should
not be used for seed.
In this connection IL is we'll to remem-
Der that the termination test has been
carried out under unusually favorable
conditions as to the control of tenn
perature and moisture supply. There
fore. an ear which does not show prac-
tically a perfect termination should be
discarded, for under the much less IA
vorable conditions existing in the soil
at the time when corn is ordinarily