SEEDS. 87 



After determining the per cent of pure seed in a sample, 

 the gcrminative ability should be ascertained. This is even 

 more important. One can judge fairly well of the purity 

 of seed by a casual inspection, but no one can tell by its 

 looks whether a seed is capable of sprouting or not. Con- 

 sidering the great amount of labor and expense involved, 

 it is surprising that so few farmers test their vegetable and 

 field seeds before they are sown. 



Even fresh seed is sometimes incapable of germination 

 through improper care in harvesting or cleaning. Nor 

 can fresh seed be told by its appearance with certainty. 

 Add to this the fact that old seed is frequently offered for 

 sale, and there is no lack of reason for testing the sprout- 

 ing capacity of the seed one intends to sow. 



If the heat and moisture are properly controlled, seed- 

 testing will be found a very simple matter. Seventy to 

 eighty degrees Fahrenheit must be maintained during the 

 day, with a fall of not more than twenty degrees at night, 

 and the seed must be kept constantly damp, but not wet. 

 A good plan is to plant a hundred seeds of average quality 

 — that is, an average number of large, small, plump, and 

 shrivelled ones, etc. — in moist soil in a box or in a small 

 flower-pot which is set inside of a large pot also containing 

 soil. Water as needed is added from time to time in the 

 larger pot and the whole is kept covered so as to prevent 

 evaporation and sudden cooling. When the seeds begin 

 to come up, the pots should be exposed to the light. After 

 about two weeks for most seeds the seedlings are counted 

 and the percentage of sprouts ascertained. If the soil has 

 been previously heated to kill all weed seeds, and proper 

 precautions have been taken, such a test will give a good 

 indication of the value of the seed. To make sure, a dupli- 



collards, Indian corn, cow pea, cucumber, eggplant, lettuce, 

 melon, millet (common and pearl), oats, okra, onion, peas, 

 pumpkin, radish, rutabaga, salsify, squash, tomato, turnip, 



vetch (hairy) 99 per cent. 



Alfalfa, beets, crimson clover, red clover, cotton, Kafir corn, 



parsley 98 " " 



Parsnip 97 " " 



Hungarian brome grass, carrot, white clover, alsike clover. . .95 " " 

 June grass, poa compressa 90 " " 



