62 



EXPERIMENT STATION. 



[Jan. 



The work in seed separation also increased during the season 

 of 1909 (see Table II.), the principal seeds separated being 

 onion, tobacco and celery. This season about 1,440 pounds of 

 onion seed were separated, against 720 in 1908, and 60 pounds 

 of tobacco seed, against 56 pounds during 1908. In all, about 

 1,500 pounds of seed have been separated for the growers during 

 the past year, and indications point to a still larger increase in 

 the amount of seed separated next season. 



Table II. — Records of Seed Separation, 1909. 



The per cent, of onion seed discarded was only 11.1 for all 

 the samples, showing that the seed offered in 1909 was on the 

 whole of slightly better quality than that offered in 1908. The 

 average per cent, of seed discarded for tobacco was also less than 

 in the past, only 10.1 per cent, being taken out, against 14 per 

 cent, in 1908. Of course, in a great many samples a much 

 larger percentage was taken out than was absolutely necessary, 

 as some of the growers specifically requested that a certain per- 

 centage of the seed be bloAvn. One grower, especially, asked that 

 one-third of the seed be blown in order to insure practically 

 perfect seed for planting. 



We are occasionally requested to test the germination of seed 

 both before and after separation, and the results of a few such 

 tests have been published at different times in our annual report. 



Table III. shows the results of tests made the past year. Two 

 hundred seed were used in each test. The average amount dis- 

 carded was 7.09 per cent., and the average germination of the 

 seed before being separated was 74. 7 per cent, and after separa- 

 tion 83.6 per cent., showing a gain of 8.9 per cent, as a result 

 of separation. 



