SEEDS AND SOWING. 155 



that seeds over five years old^ will no longer germin- 

 ate, how easy it is for seed dealers to mislead their 

 customers. 



Evidently, seeds other than the sugar heet are sel- 

 dom sold for sugar beet, as the resulting roots would 

 give evidence against the seller, but in the case of age 

 it is extremely difficult, unless some previous tests 

 have been made, as seed may be warranted of a certain 

 quality, and all appearing above the ground will fulfil 

 these conditions. The fact that some remain beneath 

 the surface may be attributed to bad ploughing or sow- 

 ing, or, again, to a poor soil in that given spot or to 

 an excess of fertilizers, etc. The importance of some 

 test now becomes evident ; several devices have been 

 adopted and suggested; the general idea of these is 

 based on the germinating principle, that is to say, if 

 the grain be placed in a damp atmosphere for several 

 days and signs of life become visible, the evidence of 

 'the same is a small white spot. Whatever be the care 

 in raising the seed, one can calculate as a sure thing 

 that about five per cent, will be worth nothing, these 

 representing seed that have not ripened. 



Germinatum. — From the time the seeds are gath- 

 ered^ until they are placed in the soil they remain in a 



' By many it is believed that seeds should not be planted before they are 

 two years old, but we have obtained excellent results when of the previous 

 year, and it is certain the younger the seed the greater the germinating prin- 

 ciple. 



' See "Growth of the Seed." 



