1907.] 



PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 33. 



159 



The following tabic gives a condensed statement of the 

 work done by this department on seeds dnring the year : — 



Records of Seed Work for 1906. 



The average percentage of germination of onion seed was 

 Y9.5 ; of sweet corn, 71.9 ; and the highest percentage of onion 

 seed germination was 100, while the same percentage was 

 obtained with samples of sweet corn. The lowest percentage 

 of germination of onion was 28 ; that of sweet corn, 25. In 

 practically all cases 200 seeds were employed in each test, and 

 smaller numbers were used only when the number of seeds 

 sent in was less. Occasionally more than one test was made, 

 and the average in such cases was taken. The onion seeds 

 tested during 1906 were particularly good, being much better 

 than those we have tested during previous years. Both onion 

 and tobacco seed were separated by air. Only 2 per cent, 

 of seed was discarded by the process of air separation from 

 the best tobacco seed sent in, while from the poorest samples 

 37 per cent, was discarded. In the case of the best onion seed, 

 8 per cent, was discarded by the use of a wdnnowing machine, 

 while only 20 per cent, was discarded from the poorest sam- 

 ples of onion seeds. 



Prevalence of Fungi, etc. 

 One of the peculiarities of the different seasons is that no 

 two are alike as regards the prevalence of certain pathogenic 

 fungi. The potato has been comparatively free from disease 

 dnring the past season; but there was more or less trouble 

 with celery, particularly in the summer, when there was a 



