118 SORGHUM. 



water ; then allowing the excess of water to escape by inclining the 

 box. Into the box, an average sample of 100 seed should be dropped 

 upon the moist sand ; and, being covered, it may stand in a moder- 

 ately warm room, at about 70° F. Every day, the cover should be 

 removed, and after from three to five days, those seed which retain 

 their vitality will have germinated, and may be counted. By this 

 means, one may easily learn the per cent of vitality of his seed, and 

 it will be found that fairly good seed will give at least 90 out 

 of 100. 



Of course, if the percentage is less, a proportionally larger amount 

 of seed must be used in planting. Owing to the importance of secur- 

 ing at the start a uniform stand of caue, and to avoid the danger of 

 re-planting, as well as expense, it would be well, in every case, to du- 

 plicate the test of the seed, to be assured against failure from poor 

 seed. 



The Preparation of Seed for Planting. 



According to the testimony of many, the plants will come forward 

 raorerapidly if theseed is soaked in lukewarm water for twenty-four hours 

 before planting — and, indeed, it has been advised by some to sprout the 

 seed before planting; but even the advocates of either soaking or 

 sprouting seed admit that there is risk of losing the seed, if the ground 

 should, at phmting, prove too cold or too dry. 



By reference to the tables just given, it will be seen that, of all the 

 varieties planted, and of the seed received from so many sources, there 

 was not one which was not fully up wuthin a week after planting ; and 

 the same was true of all the f )rty-eight varieties planted at that time. 



If properly planted, and with the ground in good condition, it is 

 questionable whether there is aiiy gain in soaking or sprouting the 

 seed, while there is far more danger of losing it if the weather is un- 

 favorable. 



It may happen that the seed is liable to be destroyed by wire-worms, 

 as was the case in one of the fields of the Department of Agriculture, 

 at Washington; and, in this case, a stand was only at last secured by 

 rolling the seed, first in coal tar, and afterward in plaster (gypsum) 

 powder. Whether this remedy was eificacious can hardly be aflSrmed, 

 since it may have been, that, by the time of this planting, the worms 

 were either dead or had secured other subsistence. 



It would appear best to plant the seed in its ordinary condition, and, 

 in case the ground is very dry, but warm, to plant a little deeper than 

 usual, and to take care to press the earth firmly about the seed, with 

 roller, hoe, or foot. 



