262 



SOILS AND PLANT LIFE 



EXERCISE 60 



Object. — To determine the percentage of good seeds, 

 of weed seeds, and oi other impurities in a sample oi clover 

 or alfalfa seed. 



Procedure. — Procure a handful of seed from the top 

 of a sack or other large sample of clover or alfalfa seed, 

 another from the middle of the sack, and still another 



Fig. 115. — Detecting the weed .seeds. 



from the bottom. Mix the three handfuls thoroughly 

 and then dip out a rounding teaspoonful. Spread this 

 out on a sheet of white paper, and with the aid of a hand 

 lens, separate the good seed into one pile and the impuri- 

 ties into another. Now separate the weed seeds, each 

 kind being placed in a small pile, and the shriveled clover 

 seed, the dirt and the chaff together in another pile. 

 Identify each kind of weed seed, referring if necessary 



