1908.] 



Damaged Seed. 



671 



proportion of 1 part to 240 of water, 2*5 per cent, of diseased 

 plants were found, while seed treated with a solution of 1 part 

 to 160 of water yielded only -9 per cent, of diseased plants. 

 The stronger solution had no bad effect upon the crop, while 

 by checking the disease it increased the yield of grain by no 

 less than 25 per cent., and also greatly raised the proportion 

 of " head " to " light " corn. One pint of formalin mixed with 

 20 gallons of water gives the required strength. 



In view of the unfavourable weather at harvest time 

 in Scotland last year, the Board think it desirable to 

 draw the attention of farmers in the 

 Warning against the North to the danger of sowing damaged 

 use of seed. In 1904 the low germinating 



Damaged Seed. power of much of the grain saved for 

 seed in Aberdeenshire was pointed out, 

 and experiments were carried out by Mr. R. B. Greig of the 

 Agricultural Department, Marischal College, Aberdeen, with a 

 view to ascertaining how far the unseasonable harvest weather 

 of 1903 had affected the vitality of the oats intended for seed 

 in 1904. (See Journal, July, 1904, Vol. xi, p. 217). Among a 

 number of samples which were intended for seed, but which 

 were not specially selected, it was found that in six samples 

 which had been three weeks in stook in rainy or misty weather, 

 the average germination was 40 per cent., in eight samples four 

 weeks in stook, it was 33 per cent., and in six samples five to 

 six weeks in stook, it was 29 per cent. 



Farmers should therefore be careful to avoid sowing seed 

 from grain which has been long exposed to bad weather, and 

 it will probably be found desirable to purchase grain from 

 localities where harvest conditions last year were moderately 

 favourable. Home-grown seed should have its germinating 

 power tested, and should be sown more thickly than usual. 



The following note on the subject of " Mildew on swedes " has 

 been communicated to the Board by Mr. Thomas Milburn, Ph.D., 

 of the Midland Agricultural College. 

 "Mildew " of Both true and false MildewTof swedes 



Swedes. are caused by minute thread-like 



? organisms. These bodies are in reality 



