Malformation or " Sport " in Swede Turnips 



45 



mediate stage, and performs its last function 

 as a biennial plant by going to seed. Such 

 changes are, however, so far easily studied 

 and accounted for, but it is different with 

 checks given directly through the bulb 

 itself It is out of sight, and it is only 

 when we see the effects that we guess some- 

 thing has happened, but the time for 

 ascertaining what that is has passed. By 

 close observation, however, we may 



find that an early injury to the root may 

 cause the highly-bred yellow-fleshed varieties 

 of our swedes revert to the type of their 

 coarser parent, the white-fleshed. It is in this 

 direction we must look for a solution of the 

 cjuestion, and not in any theory of rape, 

 which the name " bastard stock " seems to 

 permit; as all the so named "bastard stocks " 

 that have been carefully examined have proved 

 true, though degenerate swedes. 



ADULTER ATI OX OF SEEDS. 



THE practice of "doctoring" certain 

 seeds, particularly clover seed, has now 

 become so well understood by skilful manipu- 

 lators, that it may be considered a distinct 

 branch of business. It is chiefly carried on 

 in London, and so proficient are the operators, 

 that even experienced seedsmen have occasion- 

 ally been deceived when asked to pronounce 

 on the genuineness and quality of a sample 

 which had undergone the process of " doctor- 

 iing." When such has been the case, it is not 

 difficult to understand that there are few 

 farmers who could detect the fraud. 



But although it may have been the case 

 that experienced seedsmen have been de- 

 ceived when asked to decide off-hand as to 

 the quality of a doctored sample, yet no seeds- 

 man who has a character to lose would admit 

 seeds of any kind whatsoever into his stock 

 without proving them. This is done by count- 

 ing out a hundred seeds, and placing them in a 

 pot containing some fine mould, which is then 

 plunged into a hot-bed, or kept in a warm 

 room until the seeds have germinated. The 

 number of plants are then counted, and the 

 difference between the number of seeds sown 

 and those which have germinated shews the 

 value of the sample. This test could also be 

 applied by farmers before sowing the seeds in 

 the open fields, and in this way they would ob- 

 tain that security against failure, as arising from 

 the germinating power of the seeds, which it 

 is considered necessary should be afforded, 

 as in the event of a considerable proportion 



of the seeds failing to start,, the purchaser 

 could have recourse to the seedsman 

 who had supplied him, before venturing on 

 sowing the bulk in the field. There is 

 no reason to suppose that respectable 

 seedsmen, who pay proper attention to the 

 details of their business, would hesitate to 

 give such a guarantee as that recommended — 

 namely, that the seeds supplied by them 

 have not been ' doctored ' or ' improved ' 

 in any way but are of the age stated, 

 and in the natural state as grown. They 

 would not hesitate, we think, to give a 

 guarantee of this kind, because, before doing 

 so, they would have fully tested and satisfied 

 themselves as to the germinating powers of 

 the seeds sold by them when taken into stock, 

 although it is not a guarantee that the 

 seeds will produce a crop. Still, we 

 think it would be more satisfactory if 

 fanners were also to adopt a similar test to 

 that employed by seedsmen, and to keep a 

 record of the results. Of course, there are 

 many who would not take the trouble, and 

 others might not attend to the details in 

 a proper manner ; at the same time it would 

 be well were testing seeds more generally 

 practised than it is by farmers. 



The practice of adulteration has been 

 stimulated by the demand for low-priced 

 articles, and it is not until purchasers 

 find they have something " nasty" as well as 

 " cheap," that the question of quality comes 

 uppermost; that competition in the seed trade. 



