50 PLANT PROPAGATION 



In these two series of tests it happened that the low- 

 est priced seed gave the highest germination and the 

 most expensive the lowest. Since the amount of time 

 required to make the tests was scarcely more than an 

 hour and the cost certainly not more than 50 cents for 

 each series, it is evident that a saving of $1 to $1.70 on 

 the crimson clover and $2 on the sweet clover was made 



FIG. 41 STERILIZED VS UNSTERIL1ZED SOIL 



A, soil sterilized by heating before sowing; B, unsterilized soil. Notice weed 

 growth. 



on each bushel of seed bought, even without considering 

 the higher percentage of plants likely to follow sowing 

 these seeds. One interesting point in these tests is that 

 the seedsman who quoted the lower price on sweet 

 clover also quoted .the highest on crimson clover. 



It must not be inferred from these instances that cheap 

 seed is always or necessarily the better to buy. On the 

 contrary low-priced seed is perhaps far more often the 

 more expensive because of its probable dirtiness and low 

 percentage of germination. Nothing but an actual test can 

 determine this point. 



