SEED TESTING AT HOME 47 



4. Identification of crop seeds and the determination of the 

 admixture of inferior varieties. For example, winter and spring 

 vetch may be detected by the expert from the appearance of the 

 seeds. If the sample is sold as winter vetch it would be very 

 detrimental in most climates to have spring vetch mixed with it 

 or substituted for it. Germination tests are made in the seed 

 laboratories to help determine the trueness to name, as well as to 

 help determine certain kinds of weed seed. Seed incubators, 

 where the temperature is maintained at any degree desired, may 

 be used for this purpose. 



5. Tests are made for vitality of seed. 



6. The age of seed is detected so far as possible by different 

 methods for different kinds of seeds. 



Reports from Seed Laboratories. Reports by the seed analyst 

 are made to the person or firm requesting the analysis. Such 

 reports may give the percentage of weed seeds and name the most 

 injurious kinds present; the amount of inert matter; trueness to 

 name; the percentage of germination; and the probable freshness, 

 maturity, and other points regarding the seed. 



The laws of some states require the publication of the results 

 of all samples examined. The laws may require that the details 

 of such analysis accompany each lot of seed sold by dealers. 



The benefits to be derived from such laws are clearly apparent. 

 Dealers are in this way able to state' on authority the exact worth 

 of their seeds. Planters are able to avoid lots of seeds which are 

 not up to the desired standard in every respect. Poor lots of seed 

 are thus thrown out or put through a cleaning process. Distribu- 

 tion of weeds through the planting of weedy seed is reduced to a 

 minimum. State seed analysts are in charge of laboratories to 

 accomplish these purposes in a number of the states. 



Seed Testing at Home. Whether there be a public seed 

 analyst in your state or not, it frequently pays to test seeds at 

 home. Samples tested by the public analyst may not be true 

 samples, or there may be more work than he can do because of 

 insufficient help in his laboratory. 



There is a great deal of poor seed sold upon the market. Many 

 seasons it is practically impossible for dealers or planters to secure 

 seeds of certain kinds with high percentage of germination. This 

 may be due to drought, late spring, early fall, ravages of insects, 

 plant diseases or other causes. Each planter should know from 

 his own test the exact germinating power of all seeds he has to use. 



