42 EXPERIMENT STATION. [Jan. 



Examination of Onion Seeds for Fungous 



Spokes. 



BY G. E. STONE. 



In connection with our work in separating onion seed occa- 

 sional microscopical examinations were made of the filtered 

 residue from the seeds washed with hot water. Onions are 

 affected with various fungous diseases, and this examination was 

 therefore made for the purpose of determining what likelihood 

 there is of onion seed contaminating the soil with smut spores ; 

 or, in other words, acting as agents of infection. 



The few examinations of seeds made show that there is much 

 foreign material adhering to them, and we found in all in- 

 stances numerous spores of onion smut and rust. 



We hope to make a more extensive examination of onion 

 seeds in the coming spring, and if necessary shall give some 

 attention to methods of ridding seeds of infectious material 

 before they are planted. 



