80 CONTROL SERIES No. T15 



STUDIES OF FLOWER SEEDS 



Conducted by the Department of Floriculture 

 Clark L. Thayer, Professor 



For the seventh season the Department of Floriculture has cooperated with the 

 Seed Laboratory in maintaining trials to determine the quality of flower seed 

 offered for sale in retail seed stores, hardware stores, chain stores, schools, and 

 other retail outlets. The seeds, which were collected by the State Seed Inspector, 

 were tested for germination and performance under field conditions. 



See^s of 233 lots, representing 54 genera, packeted by 20 concerns, and obtained 

 from 68 retailers, were distributed as follows: 



Ageratum 4 Kochia 5 



Alyssum 7 Linum 2 



Anchusa 2 Lobelia 1 



Antirrhinum 3 Lupinus 1 



Arctotis 1 Mathiola 3 



Brachycome 1 Mirabilis 3 



Calendula 9 Nemesia 1 



Callistephus 8 Nemophila 2 



Celosia 3 Nierembergia 1 



Centaurea 6 Nigella 4 



Chrysanthemum 3 Papaver 7 



Clarkia 2 Petunia 15 



Cleome 1 Phacelia 1 



Cosmos 11 Phlox 2 



Cynoglossum 1 Portulaca 6 



Delphinium 7 Reseda 3 



Dianthus 3 Rudbeckia 1 



Didiscus 2 Salpiglossis 3 



Diniorphotheca 1 Salvia 2 



Eschscholtzia 3 Scabiosa 7 



Gaillardia -1 Schizanthus 1 



Gamolepis 1 Tagetes 16 



Gypsophila 5 Tropaeolum . 9 



Helianthus 1 Venidium 1 



Helichrysum 2 Verbena 9 



Iberis 4 Zinnia 21 



Impatiens 4 



Ipomoea 7 TOTAL 233 



Germination tests were not made in the laboratory on any of the lots of seed. 

 Where the number of seeds permitted, rows twelve feet in length were sown, but 

 in many lots the number was insufficient. Results of germination were rated as 

 "good" if seeds germinated in approximately two-thirds of the row; "fair" be- 

 tween one-third and two-thirds; "poor" for less than one-third. Performance was 

 designated as "satisfactory" if the varieties were true to name, producing only a 

 low percentage of plants which were not true to form or color (one-third or less) ; 

 "fair" between one-third and two-thirds not true; and "not satisfactory," if less 

 than one-third was true to name or if the lot did not produce sufficient plants for 

 providing satisfactory data. 



As far as possible trueness to type was determined. However, since many lots 

 were described as mixtures or did not carry varietal names, a wide range in color 

 and form was permissible. 



