626 FARM ' SEEDS ' : GENERAL 



purity of A is found to be only 78 per cent., and its germination 



capacity 70 per cent. Its percentage real value is, therefore, 



78 X 70 



= 54'6. B is of 90 per cent, purity, and 85 per cent. 



. 90 X 85 

 germination capacity; its real value is = 76*5. The 



prices should be in the proportion of 54'6 to 76*5. This is not 



the case, however, for assuming that is. 8d. per lb. is a correct 



price to pay for such a sample as B, the price of A should be 



54-6 

 less, viz. : is. 8d. x —r- = is. 2d. per lb. To buy the seed at 

 76-5 



is. 5d. per lb. would be a mistake from a pecuniary point of 



view. Moreover the seeds which are capable of growing in 



samples of poor germination capacity, frequently give rise to 



weak plants which often perish altogether. 



The quantity of seed to use to sow an acre of ground depends 

 on the real value as calculated above, and the mere statement 

 that so many lbs. to an acre is essential for a good crop is 

 useless, unless we know the quality of the seed to be employed, 

 from these two points of view, namely its purity and germination 

 capacity. One lb. of pure seed with a germination capacity of 96 

 per cent, is equal to 3 lbs. of pure seed of which only 32 per 

 cent, is capable of growth. 



Very often this is overlooked, especially when dealing with the 

 sowing of grass seeds for permanent and temporary pastures, and 

 the inattention frequently causes trouble. If it were not for the 

 fact that far greater amounts of seed are generally sown than is 

 necessary, the bad effects would be more marked. 



4. Speed of Germination or ' Germination Energy.' — It will 

 be found on examining seeds daily during their germination, that 

 samples of the same kind of seed of different origin frequently 

 differ considerably in the speed with which they develope, even 

 when the external conditions as regards air, moisture, and 

 warmth are kept the same. These variations are due to inherent 



