6 TIMELY HINT 132 



ability to germinate, is indicated to some extent by its appearance. 

 Seeds which are plump and of a bright olive green color almost al- 

 ways give a high percentage of germination; while a brownish color 

 usually indicates old seed, and, especially, if a large number of shriv- 

 eled seeds are found a low percentage of germination may be expected. 

 In any case where the viability of the seed is questionable a germina- 

 tion test can be made with very little trouble. This test may be made 

 by placing one hundred or two hundred seeds between moist cloths or 

 blotting papers and keeping them at a temperature of about 70 degrees 

 Fahrenheit. At the end of a period of six days the number germinated 

 may be counted and from this the percentage of germination may be 

 determined. Frequently at the close of a germination test with alfalfa 

 seed it will be found that there are a number of seeds which are ap- 

 parently in good condition but which have failed to germinate. These 

 are called "hard seeds" and will not germinate as soon as the others 

 because of the thickness and hardness of the seed coats, but will finally 

 germinate if kept in a moist place for several days longer. For this 

 reason seed analysts usually add one-third the number of these hard 

 seeds to the number which have actuallv germinated. Before pur- 

 chasing the seed, especially on the open market, it should always be 

 carefully examined for weed seeds, as no variety of alfalfa will produce 

 maximum yields when the field is heavily infested with noxious weeds. 

 When the grower is about to buy alfalfa seed which is of good appear- 

 ance so far as viability is concerned but which has weed seeds in it, 

 he should determine before buying just what these weed seeds are, 

 and if such noxious weeds as Johnson grass, foxtail, and pigweed are 

 found, it should be rejected. This is especially important for those 

 who are growing alfalfa for seed purposes on a commercial scale be- 

 cause when an alfalfa field once becomes infested with noxious weeds, 

 especially of those kinds which do not readily separate from the alfalfa 

 seed, it is either rejected by other alfalfa growers, or sold at a low 

 price. 



"Smooth" Peruvian: Since the introduction of the genuine hairy 

 Peruvian alfalfa another variety of so-called "smooth" Peruvian al- 

 falfa has been originated. The "smooth" Peruvian is but another 

 name for alfalfa of the ordinary type coming from Peru, Argentina, 

 and other South American countries. Tests at this Station have shown 

 that this type is quite distinct from the true, or hairy Peruvian alfalfa, 

 and that they are little or no better than our common alfalfa. It is the 

 opinion of some growers that this "smooth" Peruvian strain originated 

 by crossing genuine hairy Peruvian alfalfa with common alfalfa 

 planted near. 



W. E. BRYAN, 



Assistant Plant Breeder. 



