36 



MASS. EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 195. 



Table VIII. — The Vitality of Tobacco Seed of Three Varieties preserved 

 properly for Various Lengths of Time. 



Variety. 



Broad leaf, 



Havana, 



Cuban, . 



Age of 



Seed 



(Years). 



10 

 9 

 5 

 2 

 37 

 25 

 9 

 6 

 4 

 2 

 6 

 4 

 2 



Test 

 No. 



10 

 10a 



11 

 llo 



12 

 12o 



13 

 13a 



Per Cent of Germination at 

 Two-day Intervals. 



100 



Average. 



50 

 66 

 95.5 

 91.5 











1.5 



49.5 



82 



93 



Considerable variation will be noted in the above table, and perhaps 

 a larger series would have changed the results somewhat, but it was 

 impossible to find seed saved under these conditions. The results at 

 least serve as an indicator of the probable vitality of these varieties. 

 The Broadleaf variety apparently retains its vitality longer than either 

 the Havana or Cuban. 



A few samples from tin cans and corked bottles were germinated at 

 the same time with the following results: — 



Five-year-old Broadleaf germinated only 31 per cent. 

 Three-year-old Broadleaf germinated only 72 per cent. 

 Two-year-old Havana germinated' only 87 per cent. 



Seed should be thoroughly dry when placed in containers, and some 

 means of ventilation, or better, aeration, should be provided; otherwise 

 the accumulation of moisture in the containers will be very conducive to 



