How Seeds May be Kept 143 



paper or cloth bags in a cool and dry room. Fairly 

 tight boxes are also useful. Peas, beans and corn 

 should be inspected frequently for injury by weevil. 

 If the seeds are attacked, pour bisulfide of carbon into 

 the box or bag and close it tight. The fumes will 

 kill the pests. If the quantity of seeds is large, the 

 bisulfide should be placed in an open dish on top of 

 the seeds, for the fumes are heavier than air and will 

 settle. In samples of two or three quarts or less, 

 however, this precaution is not necessary. A tea- 

 spoonful of the liquid to one or two quarts of seeds 

 is ample. It will not injure the seeds if it strikes 

 them. Bisulfide of carbon is inflammable, and should 

 not be used near a flame. 



3. TESTING OF SEEDS 



Seed tests are of three leading kinds : (1) tests to 

 determine the purity of the sample as respects dirt and 

 foreign species ; (2) to determine whether the variety 

 is true to name or kind ; (3) to determine viability. 



Tests to determine the content of the sample may 

 be of more importance than those made to ascertain 

 germinative power, yet, in practice, they are compara- 

 tively infrequent and valueless. These tests should 

 consider two problems, (a) the determination of any 

 admixture of foreign matter, as sand, stones, sticks, 

 chaff, etc., and of seeds of other species of plants; 

 (6) the determination of the purity of the sample 

 as concerns its trueness to name and its peculiarities 

 attained through heredity and environment. Neces- 



