DEPARTMENT REPORTS. 109 



Wheat was tested in covered, porous saucers set in plates of water. Of 

 three lots of lugersoll wheat, of 100, 100, 100 kernels, 36, 40, and 40 grains 

 germinated ; or nearly 39 per cent. 



Three lots of fresh College wheat of 100, 100, 100 kernels, were treated in 

 the same manner. Of these ]00, 100, 99 germinated, or 99.?+ per cent. 



In another saucer were 150 kernels of Ingersoll wheat, which gave 106 in 

 germination, or about 71 per cent; and in another saucer were 150 kernels of 

 fresh college wheat, which gave 149 in germination, or 99.5 per cent. The lots 

 of Ingersoll wheat became very mouldy, and sprouted much the soonest, as 

 they were white wheat; while the college wheat was red. 



On August 2d, in very dry and hot weather, 1,000 kernels of Ingersoll wheat, 

 first 13 hours in water, were phinted H inches deep in sandy soil in the garden. 

 The bed was well watered twice and covered with boards. In three days it 

 rained and became much cooler. In a few days these were examined, and 77, 

 73, 6G, 69, 76, 76, 71, 65, 76, 69 had germinated, averaging 71.8 per cent. 

 At the same time and place, and in the same manner, 1,000 kernels of fresh 

 college wheat were sown in lots of 100 each, and gave 95, 93, 98, 98, 96, 90, 94, 

 96, 95, 94, averaging 94.9 percent. This new red wheat was always slower in 

 starting than the old white wheat. Some kernels were not found. 



What are all these figures worth? Perhaps not very much, but we are quite 

 safe in drawing some conclusions while the experiments point to still other 

 conclusions with some degree of probability. 



1. When tested in different manners or at different temperatures, or even 

 side by side in the same manner, at the same time, wheat with low test, or low 

 vitality, varies much more in its germinating power than good, fresh wheat, 

 with good vitality. In other words, good seeds have the most endurance. 

 They will stand the greatest abuse. 



2. White wheat germinates quicker than red wheat. 



Pi'of. W. W. Tracy, and perhaps others, have found great variation in the 

 results where they had tested many lots taken from the same packages of 

 seeds of cucurbitacese. 



Some seeds of Turban squash, tested in two different ways by Prof. Tracy, 

 experinienter for D. M. Ferry's seed company, were found to contain 50 per 

 cent of living seed. I tested 20 seeds in damp sand in the green house, with a 

 temperature of about 70 degrees; 20 others were soaked twelve hours in water, 

 and then placed between the folds of thick paper kept wet; 20 others in wet 

 paper without being previously soaked in water. Of the first lot 45 per cent 

 germinated ; of the second lot 55 per cent; of the third lot 35 per cent. 



On June 9th, 25 seeds of each of four lots of pumpkin seeds were placed on 

 sand in dishes covered with thick wet paper, at a temperature of 70 to. 80 

 degrees. 

 Home grown seeds of 1880, grown near Adrian, gave 100 per cent 



of living seeds. 



Seeds from Peter Ilenderson & Co 72 per cent. 



Gashaw(?) 44 per cent. 



College garden _ 96 per cent. 



Seeds of D. M. Ferry's pumpkins and squashes were purchased at a grocery 

 in Lansing. 



On June 8th, a board frame was set in sandy soil, in which were planted 

 250 pumpkin seeds and 200 seeds of Hubbard squash. 



Of the pumpkins, 180 or. 72 per cent grew. 



Of the squashes, 146 or 73 per cent grew. 



