QUALITY OF SEED. 299 



have germinated. Some farmers are content to submit to 

 these risks and losses without seeking to know their 

 causes, and thus be in a position to guard against their 

 recurrence their only remedy being an increase in the 

 quantity of seed, which, to a certain extent, may diminish 

 the chance of loss. Others, again, who seek to know "the 

 reason why ' n and happily this class increases every year 

 believe that the losses sustained by the seed not 

 sprouting can be materially lessened by securing good 

 fresh seed ; and that by taking proper measures in sowing, 

 the risks from insect injuries are reduced to a, practically 

 unfelt, minimum. 



The necessity for care in the selection of turnip seed 

 becomes each year more important, as we are made better 

 acquainted with the enormous extent to which adultera- 

 tion is carried on ; sometimes with old inferior seed of the 

 same sort, at others with useless rape seed, whose germi- 

 nating qualities have been more or less destroyed ; while, 

 again, we have learned lately that " charlock" seed (Slnapis 

 arvensis) has been publicly sold to a large extent for mix- 

 ing with turnip seed, and thus inflicting an increased in- 

 jury upon the unlucky purchasers. A low price for such 

 seed is generally the inducement offered ; but in farming, 

 where faith in quality, and in principles generally, is so 

 essential, it should always be remembered that nothing bad 

 can be really cheap, and that it is far more economical at 

 first, and profitable afterwards, to secure good seed without 

 regard to the cost to let quality be the first, and price the 

 second consideration. In most other branches of industry, 

 the purchased materials are kept more or less before the 

 eye, where their qualities can be duly noted. In farming, 

 the most important material of all the seed on which the 

 future produce so largely depends, is at once buried, and 



1 The Reason Why, a popular and excellent exposition of common things in 

 physical science, interesting to all classes of the rural community especially. 

 Houlston & Wright, London. 



