292 Experiments with Blue-stone and Formalin, [aug., 



The effect of treatment with formalin on the germination 

 of the seed was practically the same after nine days for strengths 

 of I, i J, and 2 lb. in 40 gallons of water, with a slight check 

 on the germination at first with strengths of 1 J and 2 lb. Above 

 2 lb. germination was much slower, but it was only 3 lb. that 

 really gave a low percentage of germination at the end of nine 

 days, and this was partly due to mould, which appeared on 

 the grains germinating so slowly. 



Germination Test of Seed Wheat treated with Formalin. 



Dip. 



Number Germinated per 1,000 



in — 



2 Days. 



3 Days. 



5 Days. 



6 Days. 



9 Days. 



Check 



830 



917 



944 



946 



969 



I lb. formalin in 40 gals, water... 



827 



908 



940 



948 



964 



lh lb. 



798 



893 



930 



944 



963 



2 lb. 



714 



860 



936 



948 



960 



2l lb. 



514 



717 



915 



932 





3 lb- 



480 



638 



749 



771 



786 



As far as this experiment goes, it shows that Schering's 

 formalin, at a strength of 1 lb. in 40 gallons of water (= *i per 

 cent, formaldehyde), exercises no injurious influence upon the 

 grain, and that germination is at least equal to that of untreated 

 grain. During the coming season, lots of 1,000 grains of wheat, 

 treated as above, will be sown in the field, and the results of 

 germination compared. 



The strength of the solution recommended in the Board's 

 Leaflet (No. 92) is 1 pint of 40 per cent, formalin to 36 gallons of 

 water, i.e., '14 per cent, of formaldehyde. 



Another experiment dealing with the strength at which it 

 is desirable to use formalin is mentioned by Professor Windisch 

 in the Wiener Landwirtschaftliche Zeitung (24th Dec. 1904). 

 He states that solutions were used containing formaldehyde 

 in the proportion of *02, "04, *o8, *I2, '2, and '4 per cent. It 

 was found that when wheat was steeped in them for 24 hours 

 the weakest of these exercised an injurious influence on the 

 germinating power. The *o8 per cent, solution delayed ger- 

 mination about 24 hours, but within 14 days 88*5 per cent, 

 of the seed sprouted, compared with 98 per cent, when 



