76 



In order to test whether the seed is or is not viable they plant 

 it in rich soil of the prairies which has been carefuUy sterilised. 

 In some cases in order to ascertain whether the seed has been 

 killed by the frost they feed it with a 1 per cent, solution of cane 

 sugar during the first few days when germination is due to 

 commence. 



Mr. Dorph-Petersen referred to his paper on the subject of seeds 

 which are not " germinatrag-ripe," which had previously been 

 circulated to the Delegates, and which was due to be read on 

 Thursday, the 10th July. Time did not, however, permit of the 

 reading of this paper, which is appended. 



Crermination Tests in the Laboratory and in Soil of Cereal Seed 

 which is not " Germinating-Ripe." 



By 



K. Dokph-Petebsen. 



When, last Autumn, Dr. Volkart and I prepared the draft Agenda 

 for the Congress, it was decided that the head of the Seed Testing Station 

 at Orebro, Sweden, Director J. Widen, and I should read papers on 

 " Investigations of seeds which are not ' germinating-ripe ' and deter- 

 mination of the germinating power of such seeds in the soil." My 

 respected colleague Mr. Wid6n informed me, however, at the beginning 

 of the winter, that he would not be able to attend the Congress as he 

 was unwell, and unfortunately he died a little more than a month ago. 

 I have known Mr. Wid6n and co-operated with him for more than 20 years. 

 We were both members of the Committee which, in 1912, revised the 

 common rules for seed testing in force for the three northern countries. 

 Mr. Wid6n was a very fine, sympathetic and clever personahty with 

 whom it Was a pleasiu-e to co-operate. Those among you who were 

 present at the Seed Testing Conference in Copenhagen in 1921 will 

 recollect his courtesy and kindness. We shall remember him as an 

 excellent colleague. 



Mr. Widen Would certainly have been able to have given interesting^ 

 information regarding the matter which is to be considered now, as that 

 part of Sweden where his station is situated suffers greatly because cereal 

 seed cannot be " germinating-ripe," but germiaates, therefore, slowly and 

 poorly. We agreed that Mr. Wid6n should undertake experiments in 

 regard to the matter, and that similar tests should be made simultaneously 

 at the Danish State Seed Testing Station. Illness, however, prevented 

 Widen from beginning this work. As Dr. Franck touched on the matter 

 yesterday, and gave a long, very interesting list of the detailed literatmre 

 on the subject in question, I shall confine myself to mentioning some 

 Swedish experiments on the same lines and to give an account of the 

 experimental Work at the Danish State Seed Testing Station. 



The question is of special interest to Sweden, Scotland, Norway and 

 Finland, where numbers of examinations of cereal seed which is not 

 " germinating-ripe " have likewise been made. Particulars of some 

 Swedish experiments are published in " Eftermognad hos Spanmalsvaror " 

 ("After-ripening of Cereal Seed")* by .Mr. Walld6n, the head of 

 " Svalofs Utsadesforening's " Seed Testing Station. He has described 

 in this work the phenomena associated with seed which is not " germinating- 



* " Sveriges Utsadesforenings Tidskrift," 1910, No. 2, 3 and 6. 



