350 



Missouri Agricultural Report. 



DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERS OF SEEDS. 



Safeguarding Against Deception. — One of the first steps in testing 

 seeds of the forage crops is to determine if the sample is true to name, 

 and it is necessary that these kinds of seeds be recognized with certainty. 

 While most farmers, as a rule, can recognize red clover seed, for example, 

 when they see it in bulk, it is not so certain that they would recognize 

 individual seeds of red clover under all conditions, as one must in making 

 tests of this seed. Again, alfalfa seed in bulk is recognized by most farm- 

 ers, because they contrast it with red, alsike, and white clover seed with 



which they are familiar as these 

 seeds appear in bulk. It is a 

 question, however, if the average 

 farmer would detect yellow trefoil 

 seed in bulk or sweet clover seed 

 in bulk were it not for the char- 

 acteristic odor of the latter. 'Bur 

 clover seed would be found even 

 more deceiving. 



The chances for deception are 

 even greater with grass seeds than 

 with clover seeds, because of the 

 striking similarity between the 

 seeds of different kinds when seen 

 in bulk. This similarity and the 

 fact that mere casual examination is usually given seed by purchasers 

 makes adulteration, substitution and misbranding possible. 



The remedy lies in familiarity with the distinguishing characters of 

 individual seeds. By comparing seeds of the several kinds with the illus- 

 trations and descriptions here given, one should be able to distinguish 

 them individually without much difficulty. 



Leguminous Seeds. — All the true clovers (as red, alsike, white and 

 crimson), alfalfa, the vetches, trefoil, sweet clover and bur clover, 

 produce seeds in a pod which (except in trefoil, sweet clover and bur 

 clover) opens at maturity. In red clover, trefoil and sweet clover a sin- 

 gle seed is produced in each pod. Consequently, the seeds of each kind 

 are very similar in form. (See figs. 22, 23 and 27.) Alfalfa and bur 

 clover produce several seeds in a spiral pod, resulting in considerable 

 variation in the form and size of individual seeds. (See figs. 6 and 26.) 

 Seeds of the true clovers, alfalfa, trefoil, bur clovers and sweet clover are 

 more or less flattened and (excepting crimson clover) are notched in the 

 edge. Within this notch the seed scar, or point of attachment to the 



Fig. 15. 



-Homemade seed germinator : 

 A, closed ; B, open. 



