38 A YEAR IN AGRICULTURE 



(c) Kind, number, and length of roots. Look for the 

 nodules on the roots. These contain the bacteria which have 

 the power of obtaining the free nitrogen from the soil air 

 and storing it in the plant. 



(d) Kind, shape, and arrangement of the leaves. Sketch 

 a leaf. 



(e) If the clover is in bloom, notice the location, form, 

 and color of the blossom. 



(f ) If in seed, note kind, number, and shape of seed pods. 

 Note the number of seeds in a pod. Draw a seed pod and 

 an enlarged single seed. 



(g) Draw the whole plant in your notebook, showing 

 roots, stems, leaves, and flowers. 



2. Examining and testing- clover seed for purity and ger- 

 mination. Clover seed frequently shows a weed content of 

 from one to seven per cent, and a germination as low as forty 

 per cent. It is, therefore, highly important that we have 

 pure seed of high germination. 



(a) Count out 100 seeds from a sample given. Separate 

 the seeds into three lots good clover seed, weed seeds, and 

 foreign matter. What percentage is good seed? How much 

 would a farmer pay for a bushel of good seed at the rate per 

 bushel of the seed examined? 



(b) Place 100 seeds on moist blotting paper laid in a 

 shallow place. Lay a moist filter paper over the seeds, invert 

 a second plate over the first, and set away for twenty-four 

 hours. 



Examine and record the percentage of viable seeds. 

 (The Crop Improvement Committee, 64 Board of Trade, 

 Chicago, has an excellent blotter for small seed testing.) 



3. Examination of clover seed insects. There are three 

 insects that must be guarded against in the raising of a good 

 crop of clover seed: the seed midge, the seed chalcid, and 

 the seed caterpillar. The female lays her eggs in the green 



