﻿56 



BULLETIlSr 1374, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



These tests were conducted a few days after the seed was treated. 

 They show plainly that the treated seed was not damaged when 

 cooled immediately. 



Table 45. — Percentage of germination of seed after treatment in live-steam machine 



Seed tem- 

 perature on 

 discharge 



Time in 

 machine 



Germination 



Seed tem- 

 perature on 

 discharge 



Time in 

 machine 



Germination 



Heated 

 seed 



Check 

 seed 



Heated 

 se^d 



Check 

 seed 



°F 

 136 -140-.. . 

 143 



Min. sec. 



47 

 1 20 



55 



55 

 1 5 

 1 20 

 1 20 

 1 20 

 1 20 

 1 20 



47 



Per cent 

 77 

 89 

 80 

 87 

 84 

 79 

 81 

 87 

 89 

 89 

 83 



Per cent 

 77 

 87 

 85 

 85 

 85 

 76 

 87 

 87 

 76 

 76 

 79 



146. 



Min. sec. 

 1 20 

 1 20 

 1 20 

 1 8 

 1 20 

 1 5 

 1 5 

 55 

 46 



Per cent 

 85 

 90 

 82 

 88 

 79 

 92 

 80 

 81 

 77 



Per cent 

 87 

 87 

 76 

 85 

 76 

 91 

 78 

 80 

 80 



146 



143 -145.... 



144 -147 



145.5-141.5.. 

 145 



148 



149.5 



150 



150 



145 . 



151 -145.5.. 

 152.5-152.... 

 160 .... 



145 



145 







145.5 





83.9 



82.0 







An experiment was performed to determine the time required for 

 seed to cool if bulked immediately after treatment. Several tons of 

 seed were treated, admitting steam only into the top conveyor, and 

 bulked in the corner of the seed house. The seed registered a tem- 

 perature on discharge ranging from about 140 to 152° F. After 

 bulking, a recording thermometer was inserted into the seed pile. 

 The readings obtained are shown graphically in Figure 13. A curve 

 showing the mean daily outside air temperature during the period is 

 also given. The difference between the temperature at discharge 

 and that after bulking was probably caused by absorption of heat 

 after leaving the machine and by loss incurred while the seed was 

 carried in sacks and emptied in the corner of the seed house. 



Germination tests of some of this seed were made, using one un- 

 treated sample, one treated sample that was cooled immediately, 

 and one sample that was kept in bulk from December 15 to 30. 

 These germination tests to date of this writing (April, 1923) resulted 

 as shown in Table 46. 



Table 46. — Percentage of germination of seed treated in live-steam machine 



Sample 



January, 

 1923 



Febru- 

 ary, 1923 



March, 

 1923 



Check 



Per cent 

 85 

 86 

 87 



Per cent 

 94 

 94 

 92 



Per cent 

 98 



Cooled immediately 



93 



Bulked Dec. IS to 30 .. . 



97 







According to the above results, no harm follows bulking of seed 

 immediately after treatment with hve steam. 



AMOUNT OF MOISTURE ABSORBED BY SEED IN LIVE-STEAM TREATMENT 



Several tests were made with the Uve-steam machine to determine 

 the amount of water absorbed by seed on treatment. Quantities of 

 seed were weighed before treating and again after treating. The 

 results are given in Table 47. 



