August/ 19] DE ONG: STERILIZATION AND SEED GERMINATION 343 



of the several ingredients in baits for use against grasshoppers is still 

 a matter for investigation it seems most logical for entomologists to 

 recommend the simple bran and Paris green or bran-Paris green and 

 water mixture against cutworms except when there is some definite 

 reason for the addition of molasses, syrups or other ingredients. 



EFFECT OF EXCESSIVE STERILIZATION MEASURES ON THE 

 GERMINATION OF SEEDS 



By E. R. DE Ong 



Reports of fumigation injury to the germinating power of seeds are 

 frequently based on a single piece of work with insufficient data as to 

 the details. The injury may have resulted from improper dosage, too 

 long an exposure, improper ventilation after fumigating, or the condi- 

 tions for germination may have been so poor as to cause a distinct 

 lowering of the percentage and this loss is then attributed to fumiga- 

 tion rather than to its true cause. A small number of experiments, 

 no matter how accurate, can never be considered as giving a correct 

 estimate of the work. Only by a large series of trials, if possible run- 

 ning up into the hundreds and, still better, thousands, can a correct 

 average be obtained of the real effect on germination either from fumi- 

 gating or sterilizing processes. In an effort to secure results of this 

 type, a series of over fifty kinds of grains, legumes and nuts were 

 treated under very severe conditions, either the dosage, time exposure 

 or degree of heat being much greater than the maximum known to be 

 effective. The seeds were then tested for germinating power and the 

 nuts for impairment of flavor. The varieties tested included a number 

 of common grains, beans and nuts so that it served the double purpose 

 of being a varietal test and also one of sufficient numbers so as to give 

 a fairly accurate average for the entire experiment. Each variety 

 was subjected to exactly the same process, as samples of the entire 

 series of grain, beans and nuts were in the oven or fumigatorium at the 

 same time, while the entire bulk was not so large as to liinder a uniform 

 distribution of either gas or heat. An average of about 75 seeds to 

 the variety was used for each experiment. The varieties tested were 

 as follows: 



Wheat — Little Club, Baart, Australian \\'hite, Sonora. 



Corn — Yellow Dent, Evergreen, Early Minnesota, White Dent, Honey Sorghum, 

 Feterita, King PhiUp Flint. 

 Barley — Coast, Chevalier. 

 Oats— Black. 

 Rye — Unknown variety. 



