No. 33. ] , 67 
CoMMERCIAL SEED. 
The apparatus used with the ‘‘Commercial Seeds” was designed by 
one of our assistants, Mr. A. B. Lovett. It consists of a copper box, 
ten by fourteen inches square, and three inches deep, with a glass cover 
sliding within grooves. About half an inch below the glass, upon the 
two long sides, a ledge occurs, upon which rest the wires which sup- 
port the plaits of cloth which form pockets for the reception of the 
seed, ‘I‘hese pockets are formed by inserting within hems a brass wire 
each two inches apart along a strip of cotton flannel, of a width to fit 
closely within the apparatus. When these wires are placed upon the 
ledges within the box, and pressed into contact, the fold between is 
compressed, and forms a closed receptacle or plait, the sides in contact. 
At the two extremities of the system the cloth reaches to the bottom 
of the box. Water is poured into the box to the depth of half an inch, 
and the cloth becomes saturated through capillary attraction, while the 
cover insures a saturated atmosphere. ach plait is numbered, and 
while slid open, receives the counted seed; the wires are then slid 
together, thus enclosing the seed in its dump pocket. An apparatus of 
the size given accomodates fifty pockets. Careful tests show that this 
method is a reliable one, as it certainly is a convenient one. We have 
furnished copies of our apparatus to the experiment. stations at 
Houghton Farm, as also to the Alabama Station at. Auburn, and to 
some seedsmen. ; 
In the table of commercial seeds the age is as stated by the seeds- 
men, and is presumably correct. 
VEGETABLES. No.. No. ~ Ageof Firstseed Percent 
varieties. samples. seed. sprouted: germinated. 
wach: Dowihbdid Year. days.. 
PP MOCUGROW ITS ss. oe eb 1 1 i! 4. 58 
NEO eS es J 1 1 6 52 
SS ot Reo. we oes 1 1 3 14 2 
OR Ce a a 1 1 2 2 22 
Be eres 2hesals dle, s wiers ade: 1 1 8 2 15 
ES et. cele oe alee ates 2 5 2 2 95 
TO SE Fre ae 1 i 3 2 98 
PUI LON ois sf ss wg o's tte 1 1 1 i 92 
ee. ala gn bose ste o 3 3 0 1 "5 
VO hy I Sa Rae 3 6 1 1 70 
Seem t'.. . abe bk sa aides 3 3 2 2 15 
GUM ters ont, Sh, 's wie o. 0.ce.s i 1 4 3 52 
tei Neo cares. ode 1 1 a 2 88 
“a ES: a Aer 1 1 ‘1 3 34 
DP ets cw ates eles sts .s 2 2 9 3 46 
oo alee UU 4 1 2 12 3 40 
Re tok, Say a 0 She 1 1 14 4 10 
ER hs og ck severe viele» 1 1 2 16 1 
CCE C es peor Oe 1 1 5 3 58 
OIE OE a ae 1 1 ii 2 55 
REM Te ee co ilicbs <5 re w ties 2 2 2 2 16 
SEMEN oh. . cin An sans odes 2 pina 3 3 59 
2 RE I 1 1 hae 55 
Brussels Sprouts..........-. 1 yi Liteon: 70 
