OH. Ill 



TESTING OF SEED 



119 





Special trays made of porous earthenware are also 

 made for the purpose of testing the germination of seed. 

 These trays contain depressions into which the seeds 

 are put, either singly or several together, and which 

 are kept constantly moist by water poured into a 

 reservoir in the tray, or in a dish in which the tray 



Fig. 19. 



stands, from which it percolates to the depressions. 

 The tray should be placed in a sufficiently warm place 

 to stimulate germination. 



Where these special trays are not readily obtainable 

 the tests can be made just as effect- 

 ively by placing the seed between 

 two layers of wet flannel which are 

 kept at an even temperature. The 

 flannel may be kept wet by repeated 

 sprinkling, but it is safer to provide 

 a continuous supply of moisture by 

 placing the flannel in a dish and 

 connecting it with a bowl of water 

 by means of a wet skein of wool, 

 which acts as a syphon (Fig. 19); 

 or, again, by tying the wet flannel - 

 to a wet skein and suspending 

 it in a jar containing water, suffi- 

 ciently near to the surface to be 

 kept moist by capillary attraction (Fig. 20). 



Certain seeds take long to germinate. This is the 

 case chiefly with those which are enclosed within hard 

 bony shells, such as Teak, or those which have a horny 

 endosperm, such as several palms. It may be possible 



Fig. 20. 



