1 88 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Jan., 



could be traced directly to the sprouted seed. In other words, 

 it seems probable, particularly where the sprouts are allowed 

 to grow one-quarter inch more before sowing in the seed bed, 

 that many of the young plants are injured during the process 

 of sowing in the bed. This injury frequently results in ab- 

 normal plants, which develop unusual and undesirable types 

 of plants. If the seed is sprouted before sowing, it should be 

 sowed before the sprouts reach a quarter of an inch in length. 

 In fact, it is desirable to sow as soon as the young sprouts ap- 

 pear, and any injured plants which are found at the time of 

 transplanting should be discarded. 



THE INFLUENCE OF LARGE, HEAVY SEED. 



The small amovmt of seed necessary to sow a large seed 

 bed, and the minute size of the seed, have resulted in a neglect 

 of differences of weight of seed in the growth and development 

 of the plants. It has been fully demonstrated by foreign experi- 

 menters that the heavy seed produces the most vigorous and 

 best type of plants and the largest yield of the best quality of 

 tobacco. In the writer's experience in the Connecticut valley 

 it was found that by separating the seed and sowing the heavy 

 and light grades in different sections of the seed bed the heavy 

 seed produced the most uniform and vigorous seedlings. The 

 light seed produced a large proportion of small, freakish, and 

 undesirable plants, which were not ready to be set out for 

 several days after the plants from the heavy seed. Every 

 grower should carefully separate the tobacco seed, no matter 

 how carefully the parents were selected, and use only the 

 heaviest seed for planting. Owing to the small size of the 

 seed it is very difficult to separate the light and heavy grades. 

 A practical method is by the use of an air current, or air blast 

 machine designed by the writer. In this machine the seed is 

 lifted in a glass tube by means of a current of air, and the 

 light seed blown out of the tube while the heaviest seed re- 

 main at the bottom. Some authorities recommend throwing 

 the seed into water, allowing the heavy seed to sink and skim- 

 ming off the light seed. This method is faulty in that small 

 bubbles of air prevent the uniform settling of the heavy seed, 

 and after the separation it is necessary to either sow the seed 

 immediately or dry it thoroughly for preservation. 



