302 



Bulletin 312 

 TABLE 3. Red Clover Seed — (Continued.) 



Two checks were run on each lot, excepting Lot I-3. In order to 

 compensate for the washing with water which acid-treated seeds received 

 to remove all free acid, these check lots were soaked in water at a tem- 

 perature of about 20° C. for two hours before being placed in the ger- 

 minator. Other lots of the same seed were soaked in concentrated sul- 

 furic acid (sp. gr. 1.83) for 15, 30, or 60 minutes as indicated in the table 

 above, and thoroughly washed in running water so as to remove all traces 

 of acid. All the lots of seed, both checks and acid-treated, were germi- 

 nated under similar conditions at the same time, between moist blotters 

 in the germinator. 



It is seen in Table 3 that sulfuric acid treatment has been of benefit 

 in causing gennination in every case in these lots of clover seed. The 

 differences in germination between the checks and the treated seed are 

 remarkably large in nearly every case. In Lot I-2, where the greatest 

 benefit is observed, the checks after 21 days showed an average germina- 

 tion of 21 per cent, while the samples treated with concentrated sulfuric 

 acid for 30 minutes showed an average germination of 94 per cent and 

 those samples treated with concent-rated sulfuric acid for 60 minutes 

 showed an average germination of 98 per cent. Other lots tested show 

 about the same differences between the untreated and the treated seed. 

 The least difference is observed in Lot I-14. The checks here showed 



