6 BULLETIN 125, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTUEE. 



Oil examination of the table shown, in detail, in the appendix, it 

 is found that almost the same conclusions hold true for the entire 

 table. The percentage of germination, which is a very important 

 factor from the standpoint of the planter, is in almost every case 

 reduced by bleaching, and in some instances the power of germma- 

 tion is killed entirely. It wiU be noted that the percentage of kernels 

 appearmg damaged to the eye is less after bleaching. There is a 

 larger difference, however, in the percentage of kernels damaged by 

 agencies other than heat, although the heat-damaged kernels are 

 considerably less in number in the bleached grain. As will be 

 noticed in pages 10 and 11 of the table, badly bin-burned oats were 

 bleached, and in these two particular lots the oats appearing sound 

 to the eye were increased in lots Nos. 89242 and 89245 from 14.4 

 per cent before bleaching to 26.6 per cent after bleaching, and in 

 lots Nos. 88672 and 88679 from 28 to 56 per cent, showing that the 

 appearance of even badly bin-burned grain can be substantially 

 raised by the bleaching process. 



By examining the table closely, several very interesting facts wiU 

 be observed. The germination of oats is shown to be materially 

 reduced by sulphur bleaching. The largest reduction is in sample 

 No. 88087, which germinated 97.5 per cent before treating and 9.5 

 per cent after treating, or a total reduction in germination of 88 per 

 cent caused by sulphuring. In nearly every set of samples in this 

 table, however, a large reduction will be noticed in the percentage 

 germination of samples that have been sulphured. The fact that in 

 almost every instance the bleaching of oats reduced the germination 

 to some extent, and in some instances killed the power of germination^ 

 entirely, is a serious factor whenever the grain is to be considered 

 for seed. Thanks are due to the seed-testing laboratory of the Bureau 

 of Plant Industry for making the germination tests. 



Too much attention can not be paid to the quality of seed, for the 

 same amount of time, labor, and money is required to sow a field of 

 oats, whether the viability of the seed oats be high or low, and the 

 product wiU be influenced directly by the percentage germination of 

 the seed. A casual observer is probably more likely to be misled as 

 to the true quality of oats .than of any other grain for seeding purposes, 

 because oats that have been sulphured present a very bright, clean 

 appearance; therefore special care must be taken to ascertain whether 

 this appearance is due to bleaching by sulphur or whether it is natural. 

 It is not an uncommon practice throughout the smaller oat-growing 

 areas for farmers to use for seed, oats that have been purchased for 

 feeding purposes, especially when these oats appear to be of good 

 quality. Usually very poor yields are secured when this is done 

 because these oats may have been sulphur bleached and the con- 



