STATE ANALYSIS 



19 



Seed Analysis. — There are three purposes of seed analysis: 

 (1) to detect the presence of good seeds of other kinds which may 

 be mixed with them; (2) fco determine the kinds and percentages 

 of weed seeds present; (3) to determine the amount of inert or dead 

 matter present, such as chips, pulp, gravel, dirt, etc. 



Detecting Impurities in Seed Samples. — Count oud, or weigh 

 out a fair sample of the seeds after thoroughly mixing the mass of 

 seeds together. The sample should be examined by use of a hand 

 lens. (Fig. 12.) The seeds may be placed on a piece of white paper 

 in a very light place. With a wet pencil point pick up and sort 

 them into a number of piles: (1) good seeds; (2) shriveled or small 

 seeds; (3) foreign good seeds of several kinds; (4) inert matter; (5) 



Curled Cock 



Alfilaria 



Curled Lettuce 



Fig. 12. — Such a lens will aid in detecting weed seeds before planting. Four kinds of 

 weeds are shown at the right, mounted in holes of heavy cardboard, 



weed seeds in as many places as there are kinds. Then by count 

 or by weight determine the percentage of each of those to the 

 whole sample. 



Buying Seeds by Sample. — If possible a sample of seeds should 

 be examined and tested before a quantity of them are purchased. 



State Analysis. — Many states now have laws requiring all or 

 many common seeds to be sold only after they have been analyzed 

 by the dealer or by the state laboratories. A guarantee of quality 

 then goes with the seeds. If they fail to reach the standard the 

 buyer is protected by the dealer. Where such laws are in opera- 

 tion the examination of samples before purchase by the grower is 

 not so necessary. 



