HIGH VITALITY SEED MUST BE PLANTED TO SECURE A GOOD STAND 
Kilgore’s Bred-Rite Seeds Are Note Air-Conditioned. 
This Means Higher Vitality, Better Germination and Stronger Plants. 
The Kilgore Seed Company, the leader in all new things per¬ 
taining to seeds, has installed in its central warehouse at Plant 
City, Florida, the most up-to-date dehumidifying machinery in 
order to maintain high vitality in all its seeds. 
A seed is a living organism and must be dealt with as such if 
good results are to be obtained when planted under favorable 
conditions. Seeds, like other living organisms, respire or breathe. 
Experiments show that seeds kept in a humid atmosphere, with 
high temperature, absorb moisture, and respire or breathe rapid¬ 
ly, which means they use up their vital energy. With high mois¬ 
ture content in the seeds, the higher the temperature the greater 
the respiration, and the quicker the loss of vitality of the seeds. 
By reducing the water content of seeds, respiration is reduced 
and vitality is conserved and greatly prolonged. 
Our experiments show that moisture has a more important 
bearing on respiration in seeds than has temperature, thus, if 
excess moisture is controlled, and if the seeds are kept in a dry 
atmosphere, respiration will be reduced and the vitality of the 
seeds will be retained and life is greatly prolonged. Our experi¬ 
ments have shown further that if the seed is dry, it requires a 
very long period of high temperature to cause injury. 
Our tests show further that seeds kept in cold storage, or in 
cold climates, where humidity cannot be lowered sufficiently, 
absorb a considerable quantity of moisture. When these seeds, 
high in moisture content, are then brought out of cold storage, 
or from the cold climates and are subjected to ordinary condi¬ 
tions of high humidity and high temperature, they go down in 
germination rapidly. It is true that the respiratory activities in 
the seeds are much reduced in low temperatures, and the vital 
energy of the seed is thus conserved, but when the seed is taken 
out of cold storage into hot, humid elimates, the greater amount 
of reserve energy in these seeds causes a more vigorous activity 
within the seed cells, and the seeds go down in vitality much 
more rapidly than if they had not been kept in cold storage or 
in cold climates. Our experiments show that in partially drying 
seeds, the opposite effect is apparent, that is, it takes a longer 
time for the seeds to absorb moisture from tbe atmosphere than 
otherwise, due to the contracting of the seed coats. However, 
when this dry seed is planted in moist soil it absorbs moisture 
rapidly and germination is accelerated because of the conserved 
vitality of the dry seeds. 
The relative humidity in Kilgore’s new Dehumidified Ware¬ 
house is maintained uniformly at 50 per cent, whereas, outside 
conditions during the summer months the relative humidity 
ranges from 75 to 95 per cent. In similar manner, the tempera¬ 
ture in the warehouse is maintained uniformly at 80 degrees 
whereas in ordinary storage it ranges from 80 to 98 degrees in 
summer. This efficient dehumidifying equipment has been in¬ 
stalled by The Kilgore Seed Company as the result of experi¬ 
ments conducted in their warehouse and laboratory during the 
past five years. 
This dehumidifier insures our customers against getting seeds 
which go down in germination rapidly, or seeds in a weakened 
condition, that will not give a rapid germination Or good stand 
when planted. Seeds kept in open storage absorb excessive mois¬ 
ture, which moisture, especially in periods of high temperature, 
causes the life processes in the seeds to go on at a very rapid rate. 
This devitalizes the seeds, and thus prevents rapid, strong germi¬ 
nation, and causes the production of small weak seedlings. Seeds 
in open storage, or cold storage, due to absorption of moisture, 
gain in weight, so that when you purchase Kilgore’s Bred-Rite 
Air Conditioned Seeds, from which the excess moisture has been 
removed in order to retain the high vitality of the seeds, you 
will get more seeds in a pound, due to the fact that they weigh 
less, being devoid of excess moisture, and in addition, they are 
in better condition for planting. Our improved storage facilities 
prolong the vitality of Kilgore’s Bred-Rite seeds, and also in¬ 
sure the production of more vigorous seedlings. This additional 
service is provided to give you in Kilgore’s Bred-Rite Air Con¬ 
ditioned seeds, more and better seeds for your money. 
In addition to keeping our seeds in artificially dried store¬ 
rooms, we have one of the most up-to-date seed testing labora¬ 
tories where samples of all of our seed stocks are tested at regu¬ 
lar intervals to further insure our customers against planting 
low vitality seeds. In our laboratory, tests are made every six 
weeks of all seed stocks in our warehouse, mail order depart¬ 
ment and our eighteen distributing points. 
A close up view of one of our seed testers. In these testing machines germination tests are made in the 
laboratory under ideal conditions. fVe make corresponding tests in the soil so that we know at all times 
the correct germination of all seed stocks we have on hand. Seed stocks that are found to be falling in 
germination and will soon be too low to give a good stand, are immediately removed from our warehouse 
and distributing plants and are destroyed. 
General Offices and Mail Order Department, Plant City, Florida 
39 
