1272 AtiRICri/l'TTRAI, SKICDS 



sugar of 12.5 % germinated better than those which sink in this solution. 

 In the latter the seed covers ap]iear to have increased in thickness and weight 

 at the expense of the germ. Those which remained at the surface of the 

 water germinated less than those of the others. (Bull. No. 12). 



AGRICULTURAL 968 - A Hcw Method of Determining the Impurity of Cereal Grains, caused by the Pre- 



sEEDs sence of Seeds of i4^ros^e/n/na Githago (I'ldm the woi-k ot tht- Seed-iesiinji 



station ;it Kharkov, Russia). — Janata A., in K).vcn(>-])yrchaH (•e.ibCKO-xn.}{iiir}ii- 



SeHHcru r<i.l('ni(i. (The Agricultural Cxazette of Southern Russia), XVIIth Year, No. 47, 



pp. 6-8. Kharkov, December kji.t. 



Agrostemma Githago causes damage of two kinds: it infests the fields, 

 and its seeds, mingled with cereal grains, impart to the latter, and the flour 

 manufactured from them, properties which are injurious both to men and ani- 

 mals ; it is not 3'et definitely known what is the origin of this injurious ac- 

 tion, but in spite of this, " under conditions in connection with arm}' sup- 

 plies", the only conditions recognised by law in Russia, and which serve as 

 a basis for the purchase of cereals, it is provided that the seeds of A . Githago 

 may not exceed 0.06 % in weight. 



In view of this low percentage, very delicate scales are required to de- 

 termine it by weight, and also practice in handling them, which forms a 

 serious obstacle to the enforcement of the regulations. With a view to 

 devising an easier and more practical method, experiments were carried out 

 on oats, barley, rye and wheat grains from both small and large farms in 

 II districts of the government of Karkov, in order to determine the average 

 weight of the seeds of A. Githago, with the object of using the weight 

 so determined in ascertaining the degree of impurity of the grains. 



The results of the experiments were as follows : 



The total number of seeds of A. Githago weighed was i 820, and the 

 average weight of one seed was o.oioi grms., but the weight of each seed 

 fluctuated between 0.0128 grms. and 0.0056 grms. 



No relation was observed between the weight of the seed of A . Githago 

 and the description of cereal or the locality from which it had been taken. 



On the other hand, the influence of another factor, the class of the farm, 

 appears to affect the weight of the seeds of A. Githago. This rate is rather 

 higher for big farms than for small ones. Considering, however, that this 

 difference is very small and does not exceed the limits of fluctuation in 

 the weight of seeds coming from each of the different classes of farm, the 

 writer takes the view that in practice the average weight of a seed of 

 A. Githago may be assumed to be equal to o.oi grms. for all farms. 



Taking this average weight as the basis, it is easy to pass from the num- 

 ber of seeds of A . Githago in 100 grms. of grains, to their percentage by weight. 

 If, however, the legal percentage of impttrity mentioned above is considered, 

 it is easily seen that in 100 grms. of grains, the number of seeds of A. Githago 

 should not exceed 6. The introduction of the numerical method will greatly 

 facilitate the technique of testing the purity of the grain as regards its con- 

 tent in seeds of A. Githago This method would also be of use in control 

 measures against this weed. 



Possibly subsequent researches may, on various grounds, modify 



