REGERMINATION. — SEED-TESTING. 9 



to keep germinating seeds in shade or partial darkness, 

 especially as there is nothing to be gained by exposing 

 them. Of course, the soil itself is sufficient protection if 

 the seeds are covered. 



Regermination. — It is a common statement that seeds 

 can never revive if allowed to become thoroughly dry after 

 they have begun to sprout. This is an error. Wheat, oats, 

 buckwheat, maize, pea, onion, radish and other seeds have 

 been experimented upon in this direction, and they are 

 found to regerminate readily, even if allowed to become 

 thoroughly dry and brittle after sprouting is well progressed. 

 They will even regerminate several times. Wheat, peas and 

 other seeds have been carried through as many as seven 

 germinations after the radicle had grown a half inch or more 

 and the seeds had been sufficiently dried in each trial to 

 render them fit for grinding. 



2. SEED-TESTING. 



Whilst it is not the province of this handbook to discuss 

 the question of the testing of seeds, a few hints upon the 

 subject may be acceptable, particularly in the bearing of the 

 remarks upon seed sowing. sGermination is complete when 

 the plantlet begins to assume true leaves and to appropriate 

 food directly from the soil. The testing of seeds is not 

 always concerned with germination, but with the simple 

 sprouting of the samples. Many seeds will sprout which are 

 not strong enough to germinate completely, and more seeds 

 will be counted as viable when they are tested in some 

 germinating apparatus — where the conditions are ideal — 

 than when they are normally planted in the soil. There is 

 even sometimes a marked difference between the results of 

 seed-tests made in soil in the greenhouse and in outdoor 

 planting, as the following comparisons (Bulletin 7, Cornell 

 Experiment Station, 1889) plainly show : 



" It has been said recently that the ideal test of seeds is 

 actual sowing in the field, inasmuch as the ultimate value of 



