6s8 FARM ' SEEDS : SPECIAL 



PuRiry AND Germination Capacity. — The former is usually 

 high, averaging about 97 per cent., but the latter is always very 

 poor, frequently not more than 30 per cent. 



Weight. — 1000 grains should weigh from 3'6 to 4 grams. 



CHENOFODIACE.S. — To this Order belong the mangel 

 and its allied varieties, garden and sugar beet. In these 

 plants the flowers grow together in clusters at intervals on long 

 spikes, as indicated in Fig. 113. Each flower produces a 

 single seed. As they ripen the fruits become united together, 

 more or less firmly, in masses of from one to seven, and it is 

 these collections of fruits which are sown for a crop. In estimat- 

 ing size, weight, and germination capacity of samples this 

 peculiarity must be specially borne in mind. 



Mangel {Beta vulgaris L.). 



Form and Size. — These characters are very variable, depend- 

 ing upon the number of fruits united together, large clusters 

 having from four to seven, the small ones one to three. It has 

 been found that the best results are obtained from those of 

 medium size, in which there are three or four seeds. 



The Purity is generally good, no weeds being present 

 Samples should however be clean and free from pieces of 

 stems and leaves, which is not always the case. 



Germination Capacity. — Although, as previously mentioned, 

 three or four seeds are usually present in each cluster of a 

 sample they rarely are all equally well developed. 100 ' seed 

 clusters ' of a good sample usually give over 1 80 plants ; those 

 of average merit about 130 or 140. 



Weight.— The weight of 1000 'seed-clusters' depends upon 

 the number of flowers which have grown together. 100 should 

 weigh about 3 grams, not much more and not much less, as the 

 medium-sized clusters give the most favourable results. 



POLYGONACE.S.— Many weeds belong to this Order, such 

 as docks and knot-grass, but the only plant of importance we 

 need mention here is buckwheat. 



