Testiny Farm Seeds. 389 



seed, especially in the case of winter vetch in which the hard seed may 

 amount to 30 per cent or more. In spring vetch the hard seed usually 

 varies between 5 and 15 per cent. The sprouting of the hard seed is 

 hastened in the test by cutting through the seed coat With a knife blade, 

 thus admitting moisture. The coat should not be cut in the vicinity of 

 the seed scar lest the embryo be injured. 



The germinable seed in high-grade lots of commercial winter vetch 

 seed, together with the variable quantity of hard seed, ranges from 95 

 to 98 per cent. Some lots germinate between the second and sixth days; 

 others during the second week of the test. 



In spring vetch viability of 95 to 98 per cent is less commonly re- 

 duced by the hard seed. Sju'outing takes place chiefly between the third 

 and fifth days. 



TESTING SEED CORN. 



The testing of seed corn so far as it corresponds to the tests applied 

 to seed of other crops consists chiefly of the germination test, showing 

 how much of the seed M'ill germinate and with what vigor. Assuming 

 that the corn to be used for seed is in the ear and has been selected with 

 reference to variety and in conformity with the recognized type of ear 

 and of kernel best adapted for cro]) production, it remains to test its via- 

 bility. 



The two types of germinator adapted for this work have already been 

 referred to (p. 14). After removing sufficient of the butt and tip kernels 

 of the ear to leave on the cob kernels of uniform size, 6 kernels are re- 

 moved for test. Of these 2 are taken from near the butt, 2 from the 

 nnddle and 2 from near the tip. Each pair of kernels should be taken 

 from opposite rows, these rows being one-third of the circumference of 

 the ear apart. In this way fairly representative kernels of the ear are 

 chosen. The kernels are placed side by side, germ side uppermost, in the 

 marked squares of the germinator, which are numbered serially, the ears 

 furnishing the kernels for the squares being numbered correspondingly. 

 This is an individual ear test. Every seed should germinate, thus show- 

 ing viability of 100 per cent. If any of the kernels of an ear fail to 

 germinate, that ear should be discarded. If the germination for any ear 

 is weak, producing inferior sprouts or is unduly slow, the ear should be 

 rejected. The character of the sprouting should be apparent in five days. 



SUMMARY. 



(1) It is ini|>(ii'1an1 that farm seeds l)e tested before they ai'c sown. 



(2) Seed testing in its essential features giving practical results 

 can be done more easily than is generally believed. 



