The Ohio Naturalist 
[Vol. VI, No. 6, 
510 
Seed treatment . — Many experiments in seed treatment by im- 
mersion were carried on during 1904 and 1905, but all proved un- 
successful. The presence of the mycelium and spores within 
the seed, has, so far, rendered treatment impossible, since any 
solution strong enough to kill the fungus, also kills the pea germ. 
In fact, the fungus is the less susceptible of the two. Still it 
was hoped to kill such spores as might be merely adhering to the 
outer seed coat of the peas and thereby increase the per cent, of 
germination. The chief chemicals used were formalin and mer- 
curic chloride. These were used in several strengths and for 
various lengths of time. The seed was then planted in soil (in 
the greenhouse) or put into a seed germinator. The results, for 
the most part, were not only unsuccessful, but negative. Liquid 
treatment, especially when the seed was immersed for a consid- 
erable period, seems to increase the bacterial rot'” which is also 
responsible for the failure of some of the seeds to germinate. 
Direct immersion in hot water as well as immersing in hot water 
after soaking, was tried by Krueger, with the result that the 
vitality of the seed was injured, while the fungus was not. Dry 
heat was also applied with similar results. Though Krueger 
found seed treatment with Bordeaux mixture ineffective, exper- 
iments carried on by the writer during the present season, 
showed a slight increase in germination over check plots, when 
seed was soaked for an hour in water rolled in Bordeaux dust 
and immediately planted. The following table gives the aver- 
age results obtained by this treatment. The figures show the 
number of grams produced from one foot of row; also the gain 
or loss in per cent. The peas were drilled in rows three feet 
apart and not sprayed: 
TABLE I. 
V ARIETY. 
Early Planting. 
Late Planting. 
Tr. 
Untr. 
%G orL 
Tr. 
Untr. 
%G orL 
Market garden 
21.9 
21.6 
+ 1-4 
4.9 
4.3 
-1 14.0 
Admiral 
29.0 
27.8 
4.3 
4.2 
3.4 
-h 23 . 5 
Telephone 
14.8 
11.5 
+ 28.7 
*. . . 
French June . 
21.6 
21.4 
4 .9 
* No late planting. 
The result of tying up vines, of spraying with Bordeaux and 
of omitting the last spraying, is shown in the following table. 
The per cent, of gain or loss of sprayed over unsprayed, is 
computed for the early planting only, as the late crop of un- 
sprayed was planted somewhat later than late planting where 
spraying was done. Moreover, the almost complete failure was 
due, in large part, to powdery mildew, which failed to develop in 
10 . Halsted, Failure of Pea Seed to Grow. N. J. Kept., 1893. pp. 3,19-362. 
