56 



EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



Germination of seed as affected by fertilizers. 



Kind of seed. 



Sainfoin. 

 Lupine.. 

 Vetch... 

 Beans ... 



Peas 



Lentils.. 

 Alfalfa.. 



Kape 



Mustard 

 Flax .... 

 Wheat . . 



Xum- 



ber 



planted. 



Number of seed sprouted. 



Check. 



Sul- 

 jihate of 

 potash 



Chlo- 

 rate of 

 potash. 



Sul- 

 phate of 

 ammo 



uia. 



Ammo- 

 niated 

 super- 

 phos- 

 phate. 



Slag 



Nitrate 

 of 



Liquid 



From the table it will be seen that the potash fertilizers checked 

 germination, the chlorate exercising the most unfavorable influence. 

 The suli^hate of ammonia has a very destructive effect uj^on the germi- 

 nation of all the seed with the exception of the sainfoin and wheat. 



Experiments were made with diflereut strengths of sulphate of ammo- 

 nia aud nitrate of soda, using J, 1, 2, and 5 parts per 1,000. The results 

 are tabulated, in which it is shown that wheat, barley, aud oats are 

 practically uninjured up to and including the 0.2 per cent application 

 of sulphate of ammouia. Clover and beans were retarded in their 

 germination by all, and rape was checked by all except the lowest per 

 cent. It was also found that 0.5 per cent arrested the germination of 

 all seed tested. With nitrate of soda aj)plied as above, barley was the 

 only seed uninjured by the strongest applications 5 wheat, beets, and 

 rape were somewhat checked by the 0.2 per cent, while buckwheat, 

 beans, and clover were greatly checked by the same strengths. 



Experiments were conducted with winter vetches to test the effect of 

 phosphates and lime upon their germination, and it was found that the 

 basic phosphates of lime assist in germination, while the acid phos- 

 phates are injurious. 



Liquid manure, it is said, not only hastens the germination of most 

 seed, legumes especially, but has a i^ermanent effect upon the young 

 plant. 



In summarizing his results the author states that in the strengths 

 used aud in immediate contact with the seed, sulphate of ammonia, 

 nitrate of soda, chlorate and sulphate of potash, and ammoniated super- 

 phosphates exert an injurious effect upon the germination of seed in 

 general. All kinds of seed are not equally susceptible to the influence 

 of fertilizers upon their germination. Alkaline substances having lime 

 or potash for their base favor the germination of many kinds of seed, 

 legumes especially. Slag and liquid manure are said to give better 

 results than lime alone. 



The acidity of 17 species of germinated seed is given, ranging from 

 1.612 per cent in clover to 0.108 in flax, and the authors conclude that 



