Il62 
Journal of Agricultural Research 
Vol. V, No. 35 
of decomposing plant tissue on the germination of buckwheat, castor 
beans, com, crimson clover, flax, hemp, lupines, mustard, oats, peanuts, 
soybeans, sunflower, and wheat. The percentage composition of these 
seeds is given in Table I. 
Table I .—The percentage composition of various seeds (11, 20) 
Name. 
Fat. 
Crude 
protein. 
Nitrogen-free 
extract. 
Crude fiber. 
Ash. 
Castor bean ( Ricinus communis) 
Peanut ( Arachis hypogaea) . 
51-37 
45 
*8. 75 
25 
i- 5 
18 
18. I 
3-1 
2 to 5 
Flax ( Ltnum usitatissimum ).... 
Hemp ( Cannabis sativa) . 
33-7 
3 2 - S» 
22. 6 
l8. 23 
23. 2 
21. 06 
7 -1 
14.97 
4-3 
4. 24 
White mustard ( Brassica alba ).. 
29.66 
2 7 - 59 
20.83 
10. 27 
4 - 47 
Sunflower ( Helianthus annuus ). 
28. 79 
l6. 3 
17. 28 
27.9 
3 - 3 
Cotton ( Gossypium herbaceum).. 
20. 86 
19. 69 
23 - 43 
21.1 
3-8 
Soybean ( Glycine soja) . 
White lupine ( Lupinus albus ).. 
17. 00 
35 - 0 ° 
26. 00 
5to6 
4.5 
6.79 
28. 78 
33 - 6 5 
II. 92 
2. 99 
Oat ( Avena sativa) . 
5*27 
10.2 5 
59.68 
9 - 97 
3.02 
Com ( Zea mays) . 
Buckwheat (Fagopyrum tatari- 
4-5 
9-5 
68.5 
2.18 
i. 6 
cum). . 
2.68 
11. 41 
58. 79 
11.44 
2.38 
Wheat (Triticum sativum) . 
1. 65 
10. 93 
70 . OI 
2 . 12 
1. 92 
The seeds are grouped according to fat content; those richest in fat 
are given first. The marked difference in the chemical composition of 
various seeds is very noticeable. For instance, castor beans contain 
more than 50 per cent of fat, while oats contain less than 2 per cent. 
According to Nobbe (16, p. 173), seeds rich in oil require more oxygen 
for germination than starch seeds. In Tables II, III, and IV data are 
presented concerning the effect of green manures on various seeds. In 
every case the seeds were tested under identical conditions. The figures 
of Table II show the effect of 1 per cent of green clover on the germina¬ 
tion of buckwheat, corn, hemp, lupine, and sunflower. 
Table II. —Effect of green clover on the germination of various seeds 
Seed. 
Treatment. 
Buckwheat.. 
None. 
.do.; 
1 per cent clover.... 
None. 
Corn... 
.do. 
1 per cent clover... 
None. 
Hemp.. 
.do. 
1 per cent clover... 
None. 
Lupine. 
.do. 
1 per cent clover... 
None. 
Mustard. 
.do. 
1 per cent clover... 
None. 
Sunflower. 
.do. 
1 per cent clover... 
No. 
7 
8 
9 
10 
11 
12 
Germination. 
1 week. 
2 weeks. 
Relative. 
Per cent. 
Per cent. 
Per cent. 
75 
90 
IOO 
90 
90 
IOO 
100 
IOO 
IOO 
95 
IOO 
IOO 
95 
95 
IOO 
65 
65 
68 
75 
80 
IOO 
60 
60 
75 
95 
95 
IOO 
55 
‘ 55 
58 
90 
90 
IOO 
90 
90 
IOO 
t 
