100 



from the good seed. All broken or mechanically- 

 injured seeds should be considered as impurities, 

 but shriveled and imperfect seeds should be placed 

 with the pure seed. After separating the impurities 

 it is better to reweigh the pure seed because of the 

 larger quantity and then compute the per cent of 

 impurities present. 



A vitality test is now in order, and is made by 

 taking a given number of the pure seed, large, small 

 and imperfect, as they come, usually one hundred in 

 number, and placing them under proper conditions 

 for germination. These conditions are secured in 

 various ways and should be of such a character that 

 moisture and temperature are fairly well under the 

 control of the operator. The sand box is generally 

 used for the good-sized seeds, such as peas, beans, 

 cucumbers, squash, etc. This consists of a shallow 

 box of convenient size, say two or three feet square, 

 filled with clean, sharp sand. The surface of the 

 sand may be laid off in parallel blocks by stretching 

 string or wire across the top in both directions, 

 making squares of whatever size may be desired. 

 The various seeds to be tested are counted out and 

 placed in their respective squares and a cloth spread 

 over the top and covered with sand from one-half 

 inch to an inch in depth. The whole is then thor- 

 oughly moistened and the box placed in some loca- 

 tion where a uniform temperature of from 60° to 70° 

 may be maintained. 



The seeds should be examined the second or third 

 day and all sprouted ones removed and a record 

 made of the same. The test should run for about 

 ten days for most seeds, and they should be ex- 

 amined daily and the sprouted seeds removed. 

 This, of course, is easily done by rolling the cloth 



