MANUAL OF GENERAL AGRICULTURE. 47 



spread accordingly. The trees should be numbered and 

 the results noted for two or three years. The fertilizers 

 have little apparent effect on the trees for the first year. 



PART IV AGRICULTURAL BOTANY AND PLANT 

 PROPAGATION. 



47. CONDITIONS NECESSARY FOR GERMINATION. 



Materials: Six tomato cans, peas, or beans. 



Number the cans from 1 to 6. Fill numbers one, four 

 and six with rich, moist, loamy soil. Fill number three 

 with the same kind of soil, having first thoroughly air- 

 dried it. Leave numbers two and five without soil. Plant 

 in each of the soil-filled cans six seeds of peas or beans, to 

 a depth of one inch, and press the soil firmly *around the 

 seed. Place the same number of seed loose in numbers two 

 and five. Number one, two, four and six are to be kept 

 moist throughout the experiment. Fill number five with 

 water, that has been previously boiled and cooled, to keep 

 out air. Place numbers one, three and five in a warm, 

 light place. Place number six in a warm place, but cover 

 it with dark cloth or paper to exclude the light. Keep 

 number three in a refrigerator or ice box so that the tem- 

 perature may be maintained near the freezing point. Ex- 

 amine the cans after two or three days, and then every 

 day until you can answer the following : Which of these 

 conditions ; soil, moisture, warmth, air, light, are neces- 

 sary for the germination of se^ds? Seeds contain a very 

 small amount of air. The water may also contain a small 

 amount of air. Take this into account in answering the 

 questions. 



48. PURITY OF SEEDS AND GERMINATION TEST. 



(a) Purity of Seeds. Materials: Three samples of 

 clover seed or any small seeds used locally, chemical 

 scales, three blotters of ordinary size, three pans and glass 

 to cover each. 



Weigh out 5 grams of samples of seed from each of 

 three samples furnished. Spread this on a sheet of paper. 



