SEED CONTROL. 75 



drawing and sending samples, limit of the time of the year when 

 seeds can be bought under a guarantee, time for filing claims, 

 etc. The methods of procedure are perfectly equitable for both 

 dealer and buyer. 



Xot only the results of tests, but also the names of the seeds- 

 men are published by the Experiment Station. This acts as a 

 most wholesome check upon the sale of impure and ungerminable 

 seed, and places the agriculturist in a position to protect himself 

 effectually against the purchase of inferior stock. 



The methods of testing seeds may be briefly touched upon. 

 After the sample is received by the station a certain portion is 

 weighed out as a smaller average sample. From this the good 

 seed is carefully selected and the percentage of impurity ascer- 

 tained. The impurity is divided into inert matter, seed of 

 foreign cultivated plants, and weed seeds. The latter are identi- 

 fied by means of a type collection of seeds kept in the station 

 laboratory. 



From the pure seed are taken a certain number of average 

 seeds for the germination test, which is usually conducted in a 

 basement, where the temperature can be properly controlled. 

 This is done by placing the seeds upon shelves in doubled-walled 

 metal chambers, kept at a constant temperature by means of a 

 thermo-regulator. At the Vienna Station the germinating 

 chambers are heated with hot air. In others the cavity between 

 the walls is filled with water kept at a temperature of 20 degrees 

 C. (68 degrees F.). We find the latter method much preferable. 

 Grass seeds are usually transferred for six hours each day to 

 another chamber kept at 30 degrees C. (86 degrees F.), since 

 this daily increase of temperature has been found advantageous. 



The seeds are germinated upon damp cloth, asbestos, blotters, 

 porous saucers, or soil. Genuineness of varieties is established 

 by field tests. We make duplicate tests of 200 seeds each, 

 and in most cases conduct comparative tests in blotters and 

 soil at the same time, often supplementing these with green- 

 house tests. In short, the seeds are germinated under the most 

 favorable conditions for the particular species involved. 



The seedsman is further favored by the fact that there is a 

 considerable difference between germinative ability and viah'ility. 

 By viable seeds we mean those which come up through the soil 

 when planted, while a seed is said to have germinated as soon 



