TO Dec. 1909.] Seed Tests. 791 



The Kentucky Blue Grass samples gave only low germination, the 

 average being 35 per cent, instead of 7.5 per cent., and the best sample 

 being the American one, with .52 per cent. Fanning and dressing the 

 sample before placing it on the market by removing the lighter infertile 

 .seeds would have increased the germination power without seriously 

 diminishing the total weight of the seeds. It is worthy of note that in 

 several cases where the Customs authorities have insisted upon consignments 

 of seeds being cleaned, the increased i)rice obtained for the cleaned seed has 

 not only paid for the cost of cleaning, but has also left a fair margin of 

 profit. This is only right, for a good clean sample of seed is worth two or 

 three times as much to a farmer as an impure one of low germinating power. 

 In fact, a very foul sample of seed is not worth accepting as a gift, unless 

 the farmer has the apparatus requii'ed to clean it, and not always even 

 then. 



The samples of White Clover from Germany afibrd a good instance of 

 bow seed from the same country vai'ies in regard to purity and germination 

 power. These samples would be bought and sold at much the same pi'ice, 

 whereas sample 56, with 6"5 j^er cent, weed seeds and 54 per cent, 

 germination, is not half the value of sample 55, with no weed seeds and 75 

 per cent, germination. The fact that all these German samples of White 

 Clover were considerably below the standard is possibly the result of bad 

 packing or bad storage on shipboard, or might be due to the seed being 

 somewhat old. 



Most of the seed received in Victoria from Europe is harvested from 

 July to October. Assuming that harvesting, dressing, cleaning, marketing, 

 and distributing take two months, and adding a further two to tlu'ee 

 months for the voyage to Victoria and the deliveiy and distribution on this 

 side, the seed would reach the Victorian consumer at the eai-liest in the 

 months from November to February, i.e., either too late for the present 

 season or from two to five months too early for the next. In other words, 

 we can say that, whereas, on the whole, European-grown seeds planted in 

 Europe will have an interval of one to six months l)el;ween harvesting and 

 replanting, European-grown seeds planted in A^ictoria will have usually an 

 interval of six to twelve months between harvesting and replanting. 

 Naturally, during the whole of this time, the seeds are deteriorating and 

 diminishing in value, in some cases to a very mai-ked extent. This forms a 

 powei'ful argument in favour of Victoria growing its own supjilies of seeds, 

 or importing them, where possible, from New Zealand in 2:)reference to 

 Europe. It is, in fact, worth the attention of the Commonwealth Govern- 

 ment as to whether the production of locally-grown seeds is not an industry 

 worthy of encouragement. Uniei' present conditions it would be a very 

 serious matter indeed if, in war time, all the present supplies of seeds from 

 outside Australia were cut off, and there is no seed grown outside Australia 

 which could not also be grown within it. Private enterpi'ise, with a little 

 encouragement, would probably achieve all that is necessary, for the 

 production of good pure seeds is a \eiy ])r()fitable business, provided that 

 the growing, harvesting, cleaning, and marketing are all in the same hands. 

 A few valuable new strains or varieties of both cultivated and gai'den plants 

 hav^e already originated in Australia, but this is a somewhat uncertain form 

 of commercial speculation. It would be sutticient for the present if a steady 

 ocal supplv of known \arieties, pui-e and true to tvpe, were assured. 



