Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1889-04-04
HOW TO TEST SEEDS.

HOW TO TEST SEEDS.
A HHesueas ana Valuable Csnsr1butssa
FOG Ne F1n sezap-Beok.
Among perhaps the most practically
useful divisions of work which the
agricultural stations are engaged in. Is
that Of testing garden and field seeds
They are thus enabled to point out to
the public the difference between 10
liable and unreliable dealers, and pur-
chasers are justly entitled to this in
formation. It thus becomes IN i'm
portant benefit to reliable dealers, who
suffer in many ways from counterfeits
Cultivators themselves have not al
ways given the subject sufficient stten-
ton. They have made hasty and SUI
per6cial trials of seeds, and not unfre-
quently have done the seedsmen injus-
tice. They have planted in badly pre-
pared ground, and sometimes the seeds
are buried at the depth where they
can not grow, and other defective
treatment has rendered success impos-
sible and uncertain. Instances are too
common where unjust censure has been
given to seedsmen on account of the
failures of the planters to give the
seeds good, fine, mellow soil to grow
IN, and to place them at proper depths,
with sufficient supply of moisture for
their termination. 1t is of great i'm.
portance for cultivators to know good
seed from bad, and also to know
whether failure is to be attributed to
poor seed or to poor planting and cul-
tivatiOn.
On the other hand, dishonest VEN
ders have opportunity to do cult
vators great injury. as they may
lose good crop entirely from this
cause, after the ground has been
handsomely prepared, and skillful and
honest seedsmen suffer with them, in
the injury done TO an honorable bust
ness. Some seeds retain their germi-
mating power for years. but are rarely
so good as fresh ones, while others are
Va 1AVeAO VI uO NuluO 0AAOoo ROAAONuy
fresh. Old seeds may be mixed with
fresh ones, and all sold as fresh, the
portion of the good seeds which come
up aiding in the deception. Spurious
kinds may be mixed with genuine;
and sometimes to prevent detection
the spurious ones have their germi-
mating power destroyed by heating.
Sometimes again the seeds of bad
weeds, which resemble in appear
ance the seeds of good kinds, are
mixed with them. Sand, the grains
of which are as large as clover seed,
has been colored to resemble it. and
largely mixed through it and sold ex-
tensively to farmers.
The agricultural stations are pro-
vided with means for determining the
percentage, of good and bad seeds in
supplies offered for sale The direc-
tors become familiar with the appear
ance of different kinds, both genuine
and spurious, and may readily detect
them by sight, but they depend on
actually submitting them to the
practical test of termination, count
ing the percentage which grows.
They determine the time required for
different kinds to terminate. which is
often necessary to prevent disappoint-
inent from false expectations on the
part of purchasers.
But farmers and gardeners them
selves should give more attention to
the subject. They should know all
the requirements for success from good
culture-fne soil, proper depth and
sufficient moisture: and. becoming ia
miliar with the appearance of the
many kinds of seeds. should themselves
test them on small scale beforehand.
This they may do in. winter in regu-
larly warmed apartments, in suitable
soil, in boxes, pots or pans. kept in all
the proper conditions. counting the
planted and the number which
appears They may test old seed. and
determine its terminating value.
But they should not stop here. They
should make collections of the seeds OF |
all kinds of noxious weeds, as well as |
Of those Of more harmless character |
which may be used for adulteration.
These should be placed in glass walls
DR. boxes. and distinctly labeled. The
which may be thus OBJ
tanned would be of much practical use
a, we'll as safi SfacfiOn
Such collection might be easily |
by purchasing of relia
Die scotsman Gf botani It, all the bet
err general collection of such kinds
IS cultivators should know.