99 



particles in seed samples which afforded useful information as to 

 the origin of the seed. Great difficulty was experienced in con- 

 nection with these investigations when, as was often the case, 

 seed bulks contained mixtures of seeds of different origin. 

 During the past year he had, on several occasions, found that 

 bulks which were stated to be of Polish, Bohemian or Hungarian 

 origin, contained seed characteristic of the southern part of 

 Europe. 



(Time would not permit of any further discussion on this 

 subject, and the Chairman called on Mr. Edgar Brown.) 



Mr. Brown then read the following paper (a French trans- 

 lation being communicated to the meeting by one of the official 

 reporters). 



The Evaluation of Haid Seeds. 



BY 



EDGAR BROWN, Washington. 



Hard Seeds are those, particularly of Leguminosae, which do not take 

 up water readily under normal conditions for germination. The most 

 striking examples among our commonly cultivated crops are MelUotus, 

 Vicia. Medicago and Trifolium. 



The crop-producing value of hard seeds depends on the conditions 

 under which seeding is done. Crocker seeded hard seed of MelUotus in 

 December and in April. In the following June the December seedings 

 showed 72 per cent, germination and the April seeding 2 per cent. The 

 Iowa Agricultural Experiment Station reports similar results When 

 MelUotus seeds are exposed tb alternate freezing and thawing. 



Harrington reported only a small proportion of hard Trifoliutn and 

 MelUotus seeds as germinating promptly when sown in warm weather, 

 and a relatively high germination when seeded in freezing weather. 



There is a rather definite line between the hard seeds and those not 

 hard in the case of Trifolium pratense and MelUotus, while there is not 

 such a definite line in the case of Medicago sativa and Vicia villosa. 



Our knowledge of the proper evaluation of hard seeds is incomplete, 

 and there is need for further investigation. 



I am very glad to say that, no doubt inspired by the example of the 

 British seed trade in making possible the establishment of your splendid 

 Institute of Agiicultural Botany, the American Seed Trade, through the 

 medium of our National Research Council, has established a fellowship for 

 the iavestigation of the agricultural value of hard seeds and we expect 

 that most valuable practical information Will result. 



In America what is the present practice as to the evaluation of hard 

 seeds ? 



This question does not arise in the administration of the Seed Importa- 

 tion Act, as the requireroents of that Act are not specified in terms of 

 germination but of live seed. 



With few exceptions the laws in the several States regulating the sale 

 of agricultural seeds require labelling with certain information including 

 the percentage of germination. In some States this percentage of germina- 

 tion has been construed to include all hard seeds, in some States a portion 

 only of the hard seeds and in other States none of the hard seeds. 



In order that there might be a uniform basis for labelling in all States, 

 the Association of Official Seed Analysts of North America adopted the 

 following rule : "In reporting the germination of samples of leguminous 

 seeds, a portion of which usually remain hard at the end of the test, the 

 actual percentage of germination should be reported and also the 

 percentage of seed remaining hard." 



