(see Fig. 39) and a piece of cloth as
wide as the bottom of the plate and twice as long. Count out fifty or
one hundred seeds from a package, wet the cloth and wring it out.
Place one end of the cloth on the plate, place the seeds on the cloth
and fold the other end of the cloth over them. On a slip of paper mark
the number of seeds and date, and place on the edge of the plate. Now
cover the whole with another plate, or with a pane of glass to keep
from drying. Set the plate of seeds in a warm room and examine
occasionally for several days. If the cloth tends to dry, moisten it
from time to time. As the seeds sprout take them out and keep a record
of them. Or leave them in the plate and after four or five days count
those that have sprouted. This will give the proportion of good seeds
in the packages.

For small seeds fold the cloth first and place the seeds on top of it.

Another good tester for small seeds is made by running about an inch
of freshly mixed plaster of Paris into a small dish or pan and
moulding flat cavities in the surface by setting bottles into it. The
dish or pan and bottles should be slightly greased to prevent the
plaster sticking to them. When the cast has hardened it should be
turned out of the mould and set in a large dish or pan. One hundred
small seeds are then counted out and put into one of the cavities,
others are put into the other cavities. Water is then poured into the
pan till it rises half way up the side of the plaster cast or porous
saucer. The whole thing is then covered to keep in the moisture (Fig.
40).

Another method is to get boxes of finely pulverized sand or soil and
carefully plant in it fifty or one hundred seeds of each kind to be
tested. Then by counting those that come up, the proportion of good
seeds can easily be found.

In every case the testers should be kept at a temperature of about
seventy degrees or about that of the living room.

HOW THE SEEDS COME UP

Plant a few seeds of corn, beans and garden peas in boxes or tumblers
each day for several days in succession. Then put seeds of corn, beans
and garden peas to soak. After these have soaked a few hours, examine
them to find out how the seed is constructed. Note first the general
shape of the seeds and the scar (Fig. 41-4) on one side as in the bean
or pea and at one end or on one edge in the corn. This scar, also
called hilum, is where the seed was attached to the seed vessel.

Cut into the bean and pea