HISTORY AND BIBLIOGRAPHY 835 



dicated that the seed sold in the state has improved, field tests of 

 germination were lower than laboratory tests. A method of deter- 

 mining the vitality is also given. The subject of delayed germina- 

 tion is discussed by H. S. Fawcett, who found that a relationship 

 exists between the hardness of the seed coat and the dormant 

 period. L. H. Pammel states that different conditions influence 

 the germination of seeds, such as hard coats and freezing of seeds. 

 The delayed vitality of weed seeds is discussed by L. H. Pammel 

 and Charlotte M. King. Weed seeds after freezing germinate 

 more readily when frozen. 



Work of the United States Government. — The National Govern- 

 ment began a serious investigation of agricultural seeds and their 

 impurities in 1893. Early articles on the subject appeared under 

 the head of "Pure Seed Investigations." 



Mr. Hicks called attention to the abuses in the seed trade. The 

 matters that were mentioned by him have evidently not been 

 remedied since 1894. Since then the work of the Department has 

 been immeasurably increased, especially by such contributions as 

 have been made by Mr. Duvel on the vitality of buried seeds and 

 the storage and germination of wild rice; and the paper by Mr. 

 Pieters on "The Farmer's Interest in Good Seed." Among the 

 notes on seed testing in 1897, Prof. Hicks and Mr. Sothoron Key 

 published an account of the germination of several forage plants 

 and flower garden seeds. 



A good table on the percentage of germination standards re- 

 quired of seeds will be found in a paper by Mr. Pieters. These 

 seed standards were also published in the Year Book of 1896. Later 

 Mr. Pieters discussed the presence of clover dodder and other im- 

 purities in clover seed. In a circular by Prof. Dewey of the same 

 division the dodders found in clover were discussed. 



The quality of the seed, especially its germinative energy, de- 

 pends somewhat on the manner in which seeds are kept. Two ar- 

 ticles on this subject are of special interest in this connection, one 

 by Pieters, "Agricultural Seeds, Where Grown and How to 

 Handle," and an article by Pieters and Brown, "Kentucky Blue 

 Grass Seed, Harvesting, Curing and Cleaning." 



The United States Department of Agriculture has published 

 rules and described apparatus for seed testing. These were adopted 

 by the standing committee on seed testing of the Association of 

 American Agricultural Colleges and Experiment Stations. 



