— 42 — 
as two years old seed does not come up freely.” In North 
Carolina Bulletin No. 60, these seed are described as twice 
as large as red clover seed with a brownish yellow hue. 
“ The vitality of Lucern seed is so low that seed over one 
year old is scarcely worth sowing.” The author of that 
bulletin records two sprouting experiments made with pre- 
sumbly two years old seed, showing only 6 and 12 per cent., of 
the seed capable of germinating. This is quite in accord with 
the statement of Loudon. Not finding myself able to unhesi¬ 
tatingly subscribe to these results, I collected the following 
samples of seed. I experienced difficulty in obtaining in 
our local markets seed two years old, even after explaining 
my desire and object. 
1. Prime seed, two years old, gathered by myself. 
2. Prime seed, two years old, obtained in market fresh 
and kept in laboratory. 
3. Prime seed, obtained of P. Anderson & Co., proba¬ 
bly two years old. 
4. Prime seed, two years old, grown in Otero county, 
(J. E. Gauger). 
5. Prime seed, three years old (J. E. Gauger). 
6. Prime seed, six years old, obtained from Professor 
Crandall, whose record shows that this seed was obtained 
from P. Henderson & Co., of New York, through the De¬ 
partment of Agriculture at Washington, D. C., in the 
spring of 1891. This sample had been kept for most of this 
time in a 2-oz. bottle, exposed to the light in a show case. 
The seeds were discolored, reddish brown, and emitted a 
rancid odor when poured out for the purpose, of mixing. 
I, of course, have no record of the variations in tempera¬ 
ture to which these seeds had been subjected, but they were 
certainly great. Their state of moisture varied, also, but 
probably less than any other external condition. 
7. Screenings, first quality,one year old, (J. E. Gauger). 
8. Screenings, first quality, two years old, (J. E. 
Gauger). 
9. Screenings, first quality, three years old, (J. E. 
Gaugerk . . - u % td 
10. Screenings, second quality, two years old, (J. E. 
Gauger). 
11. Screenings, third quality, one year old, (J. E. 
Gauger). 
The following tests of these seeds were made with 
such facilities as are at the command of every farmer. A 
common tumbler was filled with crumpled paper to about 
half its hight and pressed down until it was quite even. On 
this were placed three disks of ordinary blotting paper ; the 
