276 Journal of Agriculture, Victoria. [10 May, 1916. 



depresses the germination of the grain, and subsequent 

 growth for a time is lower than normal. This effect on 

 the germination increases with the strength of the pickle, 

 so that care must he taken to make up pickling solutions 

 in a definite manner, or germination may be unduly inter- 

 fered with, while on the other hand too weak a solution 

 will not kill the spores. 



The standard pickles mentioned above Avill be found 

 satisfactory in these respects, but if for any reason an 

 increased strength is necessary, it should be automatically 

 followed by a heavier rate of seeding; while for late sow- 

 ing, where a quick germination is required, or where weeds 

 are bad, the strength may be reduced with advantage to 

 rapid growth. 



Bluestone or Formalin. 



There has been considerable controversy as to whether formalin or blue- 

 stone is the better. Formalin pickling is generally recognised as easy 

 and quick to work with, and its use is very general where apparently 

 clean seed is to be sown within a week or two after pickling; but if 

 grain so pickled is allowed to stand for longer than that time, or sown 

 under " dry " conditions, the seed coat becomes tough and germination 

 may be faulty. 



With bluestone there is no such toughening, there is less danger of 

 re-infection, and it is generally found to depress germination less; bence 

 bluestone is especially useful for sowing smutty seed, or when sowing 

 " dry," pickling early, or when sowing late. 



Making up the Pickle. 



The making up of the pickling solution is very important, and no 

 pains should be spared to accomplish it in a definite manner. The 

 several brands of formalin now obtainable are of 37-38 per cent, 

 strength, and can be used with confidence. The standard pickle strength 

 required, viz. : 1 in 450, means 1 lb. of formalin added to 450 lbs. of 

 water; the weight of formalin to be mixed must therefore be known, 

 and the water can be conveniently measured with a kerosene tin, re- 

 membering that one gallon of water weighs 10 lbs. Formalin is often 

 put up in bottles holding 1 lb. exactly, and to make 45 gallons of pickle 

 one has then simply to pour the contents of the bottle into 45 gallons 

 nf water and stir the mixture with a stick. 



To produce the bluestone pickle requires more time and labour, 

 owing to the relative difficulty of dissolving bluestone. The 1^ per 

 cent, standard solution means U lbs. bluestone, by weight, dissolved in 

 10 gallons of water; and the quickest way to dissolve it is to suspend 

 the weighed quantity in a piece of hessian just under the surface of the 

 water. When using bluestone, the solution must be held in wooden or 

 Ropper vessels; if kept for any length of time bluestone solution will 

 concentrate, owing to evaporation, but formalin solution will gradually 

 become weaker. 



