50 J. H. MAIDEN. 
in order that further selection may allow strains to be fixed in 
their new homes, and suitable for their special conditions. 
d. Testing of Seeds.—This is a subject upon which I again 
propose to touch, but the matter is worthy of special emphasis in 
connection with agriculture. I hope that, before the lapse of 
many years, we shall have a Seed-control Station in connection 
with our Department of Agriculture, where agricultural seeds 
may be tested as to name, germinating power and purity. The 
germinating power of seeds is of course of paramount importance 
to the farmer. Not only do seeds vary considerably in the length 
of time they may be safely kept before sowing, but there is often 
much variability in seeds in the same parcel through admixture, 
and other causes, I cannot do justice to this subject on the 
present occasion, but I venture to refer members to two excellent 
papers, which will well repay perusal.'_ Hardy less valuable is a 
paper by another author’ belonging to the same department, where 
homely appliances for the testing of seeds are described. 
It has long beeen a matter of surprise to me that seed-testing 
is so little practised by farmers. Of course, as regards the more 
difficult points that present themselves in these investigations, the 
farmer would do well to appeal to the Department of Agriculture 
for help, but, as a rule, with very little practice, and with appli- 
ances to be found in every household, he can test the germinating 
power of most seeds as wellas anybody. And if the citizen whose 
purchases of seeds are limited to those required for the horticulture 
of a suburban garden, were to adopt a similar plan, much heart- 
burning would be saved, and the precautions of seedsmen for the 
supply and distribution of good seed would be promptly increased. 
1 (1) “Seed Control: its aims, methods and benefits,” by Gilbert H. 
Hicks.— (U.S Br art. of Agriculture) —Read before Massachu _—s Hort. 
Feb. 8. 1896. Boston, apes and Churchill; pp. z8. And (2) 
“« Pure sod eh. by the same author, URL arson from the 
rtmen 
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— ‘Standards of the purity and vitality of dgticnitas ral Seeds.” 
A. J. Pieters—* Testing Seeds at Home,” Reprinted from Year-book 
U. . ge of Agriculture, 1895. 
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