DEPARTMENT REPORTS. 



123 



ScecU Teded hy Special Kequest. 



The following seeds Avere offered to D. M. Ferry & Co., by samples. These 

 were tested by Prof. W. W. Tracy, of that linn, and did not germinate satis- 

 factorily. Our tests corresponded very well with theirs. 



No. 



25 



26 



27 

 28 

 29 

 30 



Varietj-. 



Egyptian . 

 Egyptian . 

 Egyptian . 

 Evergreen 

 Evergreen 

 Everjrreen 



[Mode of Testing. 



In moist sand 



Soak'd-da'p p:iper 



Damp paper 



Moist sand 



Soalv'd-da'p paper 

 Damp paper 



Percent 

 (iermi- 

 nated. 



3 



10 

 12 

 40 



58 

 54 



EXTRA FINE SEEDS OF AGROSTIS VULGARIS, RED TOP. 



This sample was seut for examination by J. M. Thorburn »& Co., of New 

 York. 



In market as usually seen, the glumes and both palese surround the seed or 

 grain. h\ this case, both glumes and most of the paless were removed. 



WILL SEEDS SPROUTED ONCE AND WELL DRIED, SPROUT AGAIN? 



In the opinion of some people seeds will never sprout more than once. 

 This question not unfrequeutly becomes a matter of considerable importance, as 

 for example after the recent harvest of 1882, when wheat was badly damaged by 

 rains. *' To sprout," means ''to germinate;" *' to vegetate;" "to begin to 



grow , 



." 



"to shoot, as the seed or the root of a plant.'' 



In each of the cases named below the roots died at the end of each test and 

 new ones pushed out when moistened again. The same plumule or ascending 

 axis lived, over, or endured the alterations of drying and moistening. 



In 1881 a few experiments were made with some wheat of low vitality pur- 

 chased at Ingersoll's mills, in Lansing. After sprouting once and drying till 

 a miller would say it was dry enough to grind, 100 kernels were tried a second, 

 time, when 4? per cent germinated. At another time, of 50 kernels of this 

 wheat one sprouted a little and dried, 48 germinated, or 9G per cent. These 

 were dried and tested a third time, when 44 germinated, or 88 per cent. 



For another test, of 50 kernels of this wheat, once sprouted till the 

 plumule was -J inch long, and the roots 1 to 2 inches; 41 germinated, or 82 

 per cent. Of tli^se well dried, 24 germinated a third time, 48 per cent. 



For another test, of 50 kernels of this wheat once sprouted till the 

 plumule was 1 inch long and the roots 2 inches, 10 germinated, or 38 per 

 cent. Of these well dried, 7 germinated a third time, 14 per cent. 



Some imperfect tests with good new wheat gave still better results. 



Of oats tested at the same time, 65 per cent germinated a second time. 



SHALL WE USE SPROUTED WHEAT FOR SEED? 



As will be seen by the foregoing tests, and by the following tests, wheat 

 once or twice, or more times sprouted, is likely to grow again. Sprouting 

 weakens the grain to some extent, depending on how far the sprouting process 

 was continued before it was arrested by drying. If it were my own case I 

 should use sprouted wheat for seed. It may not be a good practice. 



