3G PROCEEDINGS AT GENERAL r.IEETINGS. 



who have not hitherto done so, and especially tliat it may induce those 'whose 

 purchases are small to take advantage of the imvileges now offered them. 



Full information regarding the composition of manures and feeding stuffs, hints 

 for their use, instructions for sampling, forms of guarantee and other details, will be 

 published in the Premivnn Book and in the Transactions, and separate slips may be 

 had on applying to the Secretary. 



The report was approved of without any remarks. 



BoTA>;icAL Department. 



Mr A. N. M 'Alpine said — I have the honour to submit the following partial report 

 that during the past j^ear I have examined a number of samples of seed. The 

 following were some of the results : — 



Germination. 

 Per cent. 



Hard fescue, j)ure, 86 



Cocksfoot, pui'e, ......... 80-96 



Italian ryegrass, pm-ity 96 per cent., ...... 95-97 



Meadow fescue, piurity 91 per cent., 95 



Tall fescue, pure, . . ...... 80 



Crested dogstail, pure, . 86 



Timothy, pure, .......... 96 



Poa trivialis, pui'ity 97 per cent., . . . . ... 50-60 



,, p>'a<e/(S}*% pure, 50 



,, neinoralis, purity 97 per cent., 35-40 



I have also made considerable improvements upon the methods I formerly used for 

 determining the germinating power of grass and clover seeds. The apparatus I now 

 use has several features which are new, so far as I know. The conditions for 

 germination in this apparatus are very perfect, and closely approach those that may 

 be obtained in the open field. In germination, difficulty is often caused by outbreaks 

 of fungi, which interfere with the seeds and tend to destroy them before they have 

 had time to germinate. This is very specially the case with some poas and meadow 

 foxtail, which are often very sluggish in their germination, requiring, at times, four 

 or even five weeks for completion. The test of germination is often \'ltiated and 

 worth little if fungus has ravished the seed ; then the trial must be repeated. For 

 this reason the germinating power cannot always be determined so rapidly as one 

 could wish. Poas have often to lie so long in the germinating case before they start 

 that they are destroyed by fungus. Under such circumstances it is very difficult to 

 obtain the real germinating power. In the open field, also, fungus will interfere with 

 the germination, and destroy the seed under certain eontlitions, just as it does in the 

 artificial germinator. In practice this should be taken into account, as a great deal 

 of seed may be lost in this waj'. My attention was thus directed to the question of 

 preventing, as far as possible, the growth of moulds and other fungi which interfere 

 with germination. I find that by imitating more closely than hitherto the conditions 

 that prevail in the ojjen field, this can be done. It is known that the growth of 

 certain fungi is favoured by the presence of foul air, such as carbonic acid gas. 

 Further, when seeds are germinating they are breathing with comparative rapidity, 

 and, consequently, evolving large quantities of this injurious gas. Unless it is 

 removed from the germinating case, and fresh air supplied, germination is interfered 

 with, and the moulds may gain the upper hand. I followed the course adopted in 

 nature for the removal of these gases, and arranged my apparatus so that currents of 

 fresh air and fresh water were circulating in the neighbourhood of the seed ; in this 

 way injurious gases are removed and the fungi checked in their growth. The air 

 circulating in the neighbourhood of the seeds must ha\e a certain temperature, 

 representing, as closely as may be, the average temperature to which the seeds are 

 exposed in the ojien field. This temperature is taken at 65^ Fahr. The air 

 which obtains access to the germinator must be artificially heated to this degree. 

 This I manage by allowing fresh, cold air to enter a set of pipes placed in the water 

 contained in the trough of the germinator. The hot water here heats the cold air to 

 the proper degree, and this heated air alone can come into contact with the seeds. 

 To secure proper circulation of the ah', and thorough ventilation inside the 

 germinator, the air must only enter and leave it at certain definite points. In my 

 apparatus air can alone enter by the air-pijies placed in the heated water. The top 

 part of the case, which must of course be movable, is fitted air-tight on the water- 

 trough by means of a water-joint. The narrow roof of the top is formed of a sheet 

 o f perforated zinc, and air can only leave the germinator by these perforations. The 

 amount of air which escapes, and consequentlj' the amount which enters, can be 

 regulated. Tlie sides and roof of the top part are so sloped that no water can drip 

 upon the seeds, which lie quite bare in the interior. Light obtains access through 

 jianes of glass fitted in the sides. "Water is supplied to the seeds by damp felt, which 



