774 Journal of Agriculture. [lo Dec, 1910, 



SEED TESTS. 



(Fourth Series.) 



Alfred ]. Ewart, D.Sc. Ph.D., F.L.S., Government Botanist and Pro- 

 fessor of Botany and Plant Physiology in the Melbourne University, 

 and Bertha Rees, Government Research Bursar. 



In continuation of the previous tests, the present one was carried out 

 on a more extended scope and had for its primary object, to determine 

 whether any relationship could be detected between the duration of their 

 voyage, in the case of imported seeds, and their germination power on 

 arrival. The whole of the seeds were obtained through the Customs authori- 

 ties,* and were tested as soon as possible after arrival. Since, however, 

 nothing was known as to the condition of the seeds when they commenced 

 their voyage, too much importance cannot be attached to the results, and 

 to obtain absolutely satisfactory data, it would be necessary to test the 

 seeds before the voyage began as well as when it was completed. Some 

 interesting ca.ses can, however, be seen, by reference to the table printed 

 beneath. For instance, Linseed from India, after a voyage of three 

 weeks, gave 92 per cent, germination, whereas a similar sample from New 

 Zealand, after a shorter voyage of six days, gave 100 per cent, germina- 

 tion. Again, ten samples of Rye Grass from New Zealand, after a 

 voyage of six days, gave an average germination of 78.5 per cent. A 

 sample from Ireland, after a voyage of six weeks, gave a percentage ger- 

 mination of 78. This difference is not worth consideration, but the New 

 Zealand samples contained two unusually bad ones, and if these are 

 omitted, the remaining eight had a percentage germination of 88, which 

 may indicate that the longer voyage of the Irish seed had affected its 

 percentage germination. 



Lucerne seed has better keeping properties than Rye Grass. The first 

 four samples examined, however (^;^ to 36), which were Australian grown, 

 all gave a higher percentage germination than samples which had been 

 submitted to a sea voyage, the average in the two cases being, for the 

 Australinn-grown seed. 92 per cent., and wnth the non-Australian seed, 

 76 per cent., which is a very appreciable difference. In this comparison, 

 sample 37 from New South Wales is omitted, as it was a thoroughly bad 

 and diseased sample full of fungus spores and weed seeds. Even if it 

 is included, the Australian-grown seed showed a 7 per cent, better ger- 

 mination as compared with the imported seed. 



It is only natural where not more than a couple of samples are 

 available for examination, that these may show discrepant results, as for 

 instance, in the case of the two samples of Millet, Nos. 45 and 46. That 

 from Turkey, with a voyage of thirty-six days, gave a percentage ger- 

 mination of 91, whereas that from India, with a shorter voyage of twenty- 

 one days, gave a lower percentage germination of 74. Again, No. 3, a 

 sample of Onion seed suppo.sed to be locally grown, gave only 3 per cent, 

 germination, whereas one from France with a voyage of five weeks gave 

 55 per cent, germination. The first sample was, however, a thoroughly 

 bad one 



Finally, of two samples of Hemp, one from Japan with a voyage of 

 three weeks gave 53 per cent, germination, while one from Turkey with a 



* ThrouTh the assistance of Dr. Norris, Director of Quarantine, and Mr. J. G. 

 Turner, Chief Quarantine Officer (Plants), Victoria. 



