40 



THE SEED AND ITS NEEDS 



to guard against infection by fungi, which sometimes cause 

 the seed to mould. 



The germinating cup is a small, earthen vessel, 3 inches in 

 diameter or )> inches square and 1| inches deep. The cup is 

 covered with a lid of the same size and shape as the top of 

 cup, in which are a number of small holes. The cup is placed 

 in a shallow pan of water and kept at a temperature of about 

 7.5° or 80° F. Germinating cups must be thoroughly steril- 

 ized before the seeds are placed in them. 



Fig. 8. — The dinner-plate seed tester. 



The tile germinator is a large tile 12 x 1.5 inches and 2 

 inches deep, in which haxe been molded pockets varying in 

 size from 1 inch to 3 inches in diameter. This tester is 

 placed in a shallow pan of water the same as the germinating 

 cups. Fsualh' it is advisable to cover the top of the tester 

 with a pane of glass to prevent spores of fungi from falling 

 on the seeds and causing trouble. 



The Genc\a seed tester is a galvanized iron pan 10 

 inches wide, 14 inches long and oo inches deep, with a 

 ledge I inch wide along the sides. The seed are held in 



