38 



IMPRtn"ING THE QrALITY OF WHKAT. 



of a brino solution into two nearly equal parts. The seed thus sepa- 

 rated was planted on separate plots. The experiment was con- 

 tinued three years. The heavy seed yielded lO.S bushels and the 

 light 16.3 bushels per acre. Unselected seed yielded 16.4 bushels 

 per acre. 



Seed wheat of four varieties was separated by Church" by means 

 of solutions of calcium chlorid havmg specific gravities of 1.247. 

 1.293, and 1.31. The seed was first treated with a solution of mer- 

 curic clilorid to remove adherent air. Each lot of seed was planted 

 separately. From the results the following conclusions are drawn: 



(1) The seed wheat of the greatest density produced the densest 

 seed. 



(2) The seed wheat of the greatest density yielded the largest 

 amount of dressed grain. 



(3) The seed of medium density generally gave the largest number 

 of ears, but the ears were poorer than those from the densest seed. 



(4) Seed of medium density generaTly produced the largest number 

 of fruiting plants. 



(5) The seed wheat that sank in water, but floated in a solution 

 havmg the densitv 1.247. was of verv low value, vielding on an 

 average oidy 34.4 pounds of dressed grain for every 100 ^'ielded by 

 the densest seed. 



Ilaberlandt/' as the result of experiments with several cereals, has 

 shown that the comparative weight of kernels is transmitted to the 

 grain resulting from this seed. Tliis was the case with wheat, rve, 

 barlev. and oats. The results with Avheat were as follows: 



Number of pounds. 



Weight of kernels. 



Light. Medium. | Heavy. 



1,000 seed kernels. 

 1,000 crop kernels. 



Grams. ' Grams, i Grams. 

 29.5 31.2 33.0 

 34.3 35.5 i 36.3 



Wollny" objects to the results of the experiments by F. Haberlandt, 

 CIuutIi, Trommer, HelMegel, and Ph. Dietrich with various cereals, 

 in wliich almost without exception the kernels of liigli specific gravity* 

 produced the best yields, because no distinction was made between 

 absolute weight and specific gravity in the kernels. He claims that 

 the value of the seed lies in the kernels of absolutely heavy weight 

 rather than in the kernels of high specific gravity. He concludes 

 that the specific gravity of the seed exerts no influence on the yield 

 of the crop. 



"Science with Practice. 



''Jahresh. Agr. Chom.. 1S60-67, p. 298. . - 



•Abstract in Cent rib. f. Agr. Cheni., 1SS7, p. 169, from Forsclumgen a.d. Gebiete Agri- 

 kulturphvsik, 9 (1886), pp. 207-216. 



