PLANT IMPROVEMENT, GOOD SEED 27 



ing the differences in character of growth; they may differ 

 in the shape or number of seed leaves, or in manner of coming 

 out of the seed coats. 



Another reason for seed testing is to determine the 

 vitaUty or germinating power of the sample. 



There are several advantages of knowing the vitality: 



1. It will save us buying poor seed if we test a sample 

 before buying. 



2. If the test is low we will not use the seed at all, even 

 if we own it. 



3. If it is as good as we can get we will plant enough more 

 seed than usual to allow for the reduced vitality. 



4. Thus knowing how much to plant, will save us the 

 time, labor, and expense of replanting a crop after the first 

 planting shows a poor stand. 



5. The first planting being made with good seed will give 

 us a good even stand at the proper season, instead of too late. 



6. This means a better harvest and good return for labor 

 expended in cultivation through the season. 



Methods of Testing Seeds. — When seeds are to be tested 

 they must be given proper moisture, warmth, and air; these 

 must not change much during the test. A warm living room 

 is about right if the moisture is held close about the seeds. 



A common way is to take two lots of one hundred seeds 

 each; these are planted in a shallow box of moist sand. 



Another good way to test seeds is to place them in pans 

 or deep plates between wet blotters or layers of wet cloth 

 (Fig. 13). The plates are placed one above another as high 

 as desired. A label is made for each lot of seeds by using 

 pencil and paper, thus: 



Date — February 10. 



Number of seeds 100 



Kind Red clover 



Number sprouted 90 



Per cent of good seed 90 



