;{34 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



October 17, 190&. 



PACKING OF NON-DRYABLE SEEDS. 



The question of the iiest method of packing seeds, 

 in small quantities or in bulk, for shipment to 

 a distance, is one that devnands careful consideration if 

 successful germination is to be expected. This is 

 especially the case with seeds which will not stand dry- 

 ing withotit rapid loss of vitality. Among these latter 

 may l>e mentioned the seeds of Para and Castilloa 

 rubber. Parcels of rubber seeds (chicHy Para, from 

 Ceylon and the Malay States) are frequently sent to 

 the West Indies and other countries, and reports ot 

 a most varied nature are received as to the results 

 obtained on planting. Provided the seeds are young, 

 in good condition, and have been properly fumigated, 

 and the package is secura'iy put up, successful germina- 

 tion of the contents depends on the character of the 

 packing material (which should be sterilized before- 

 hand), on the temperature through which the seeds 

 have to pass in transit, and on the time occupied in 

 shipment. The following notes on the subject arc 

 taken from the Bnllnfiii: of the Trinidad Botanical 

 Department, July 1908 :— 



Packing material should lie \\ell sterilized as it may 

 contain the spores of moulds.or other destructive fungi, which 

 will destroy the seed in transit. The coat of the seed should 

 also be sterilized by suitable agents such :is formalin solution 

 or formalin vapour. 



The character of the packing material used is important. 

 It slio\dd not be of a caustic nature, like ''reshly burned or 

 uiwveathered charcoal. It .should be of light weight, and 

 s[iceiaily calculated to hold no more uioisture than is retained 

 by the seed itself. If it liolds more, some of it will be 

 absoi-bed by the seed ; if it holds less, it will take away 

 moisttu'e from the seed. If new charcoal is used and the 

 seeds start to grow, the radicle will be destroyed by the 

 creo.sote of the material, wlietlier this is powdered nr not. 

 Again, the material should not be such as will produce 

 annnoniacal gases, or develop fermentation. In regard to 

 miiistnre mnditions, what is to be aimed at is to have the 

 packing material in such a state that it will not add to, or 

 take away frnm, the moisture which the .^eeds contain. 



The temperatures in countries or in oceans through 

 which the seeds a:-e to pa-ss, nuist Iw stii(lie<l. Xmi dryable 

 seeds sutler greatly if they have to pass tlmiugli low tempera- 

 tures. Nutmegs, for instance, packed in damp earth will 

 probably rot, if chilled by the low temperatures of a iMU'opean 

 .spring, while |)acked under exactly similar conditions, they 

 will go quite .safely if sent in .the sunnner months. Tropical 

 seeds, if they' have to pass through temperatures below 10" F. 

 will seldom arrive in good condition, although they may at 

 times get througli with safety. 'Seeds which pernjit of being 

 dried will of course stand cold-with inditference. The oliject 

 slioulil be to send if possible all seeds so as to meet no lower 

 temiieraturcs than 1)0^ V. to 70° V. 



The length of tlie journey and the time taken in transit 

 have great iuHuence on the condition of seeds. If long, it is 

 better to pack them with a view to slow germination f]n t*he 

 voyage, rather than to keep them .so dry as to prevent germina- 

 tion. Seeds packeil with an abumhince of moisture will go 

 safely for short distances, but' would peri.sh on long Journeys 

 if packeil in the same manner. 



The package should be secure so as not. to allow it to 

 olilain moisture from the air, or to' be dc|)i-ived of Tuoistiu-e 

 by siu'rounding dry air, and it should iiot allow of the access 

 of insects, or spores of fungi. It will l>e fouml better to pack 



in small well-sealed [lackages, and afterwards to pack these 

 in cases through '^-hich air should freely circulate. The 

 danger incurred in packing large boxes of seeds without 

 division is due to j)ossible fermeiitati<m in hot weather, and 

 to i)Ossible rotting in cold weather. 



In reference fo the packing of Para rubber seeds, 

 the latest report of the Botanic Gardens, British Guiana, 

 mentions that seeds dispatched from Singapore to 

 British Guiana, by parcel post, and packt-d in burnt 

 rice dust, showed a very satisfactory percentage of 

 germination, while seeds which were enclosed in 

 kerosene tins, and sent as ordinary merchandise and 

 shipped in the hold of the vessel, produced only eighteen 

 plants from 10,500 seeds. 



BERMUDA. 



Improvement of Agriculture. 



The accomiianying extract from the speech of 

 Lt. General J. H.'Wodehouse, C.B., C.M.G., Governor, 

 in opening the Colonial Parliament of Bermuda, is 

 useful, as showing that it is recognized that more skilful 

 methods of culti\ation, and wide scientific knowledge 

 are essential at the present time to the profitable 

 cultivation of crops on which the welfare of these 

 colonies depend. General Wodehouse said : — 



It is W'ith regret that I look back upon an unfavourable 

 situation as regards certain brau<'hes of Agriculture in the 

 colony during the i)resent year. 



Increased competition in foreign market.s, unscientific 

 metho<ls of cultivation, and, jjossibly in .some measure also an 

 insufficient appreciation of the advantages of co-operation and 

 of adverti.sement abroad by direct rejire.sentatives of local 

 industries, constitute, in my opinion, some of the prevent ilde 

 causes to which the unrennnierative results of the ]>ast season 

 must be ascribed. 



The maintenance of a sound .system of cultivation is 

 a matter of vital imiiortauce to the prosperity of these island.s, 

 and I have accortlingly appointed an Agricuitiual t'onuui.ssion 

 to en(|U!re and re|iort as to the remedial measures which are 

 undoulitedly required U)ider present circuuistiinces. 



1 am contideii^ thai by the exercise of ])atience, the 

 a])plication of scientilic methods, and the elimination of those 

 varieties of products whose profitable cultivation has been 

 shown by experience to be impracticable for conunercial 

 reasons, or undesirable o)i scientific grounds, it will most 

 assiu'cdly be possilile to re-establish this indispen.saMe indus- 

 try on a sound and renuuierative liasis. 



At the same time^ however. I desire to impress upon you 

 that any remedy necessarily proves inetticient in the hands of 

 indiviiluals who.se education is not such as will enalile them 

 to realize its necessity oi- a|)prcciate its results. 



I would accordingly invite your Honourable Houses 

 to c<msider to what «xtenl tin- present agricultural depression 

 may l)e due to the hvck of opportunities on the part of the 

 rural population for ac(]uiring the .scientific knowledge which 

 under modern conditions is essential to the profitable cultiva- 

 tion of vcgi'table ]iroducc. The future of these Islands 

 depend.s, in my opinion, upon the improvement of education, 

 of agrictdtural methods, and of con^nntnicatiou with other 

 countries. 



