Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1894-04-13
Seed Wheat.

Seed Wneat.
At the Farmers institute at Garfield
last Saturday Senator r. G. McCroskey
read the following article ON tests with
seed wheat.
Having some apprehensions as to|
whether our wheat, damaged by the un-
timely and excessive rains Of last fall,
would be profitable lor seed, | began
about the last OF January series OF eX-
periments, taking first a specimen OF
damp, much swollen and frosted, and
sprouted grain, grown by &. Holbrook.
How much rain it had received before it
was headed | have been unable to ascer-
tain. OF this specimen l6 grains had
been sprouted, 40 were badly frosted and
100 were good save as to damage by rain.
They were planted separately in soil put
in the same box which was kept in a
room having fire during the day and un-
til late at night. The termination was
slow and quite irregular. At the end OF
about four weeks ! found the following
result One OF the l6 sprouted grains,
IS per cent of the frosted, and 80 per
cent. OF the unlrosted grains had grown.
Much OF this could hardly be said to have
grown, it having barely sprouted, and
many OF the stalks were spindling and
unhealthy in appearance, the frosted and
unirosted grain being about on a par in
this respect. The next specimen, plant
ed shortly after the first, was from my
own grain, headed about November 2.
One hundred badly frosted and 800 un-
frosted grains wVe planted in soil in the
same box. This sample was some slow
er and mole irregular in growing, how
ever no difference against the frosted
grain in this respect. The per cent. in
this test that grew, much having only
sprouted was: Frosted grain 81 per
cent, unirosted 90 per cent. The next
sample was grain OF 1892, planted March
10, side by side with the last referred to
above, viz, that which was headed about
Nov 2, with the results you see in this
pan (showing the yesseD. Two hum
dred grains OF each kind was used and
in seven days the old grain was coming
up, it all appearing above the surface at
about the same time, and subsequently
growing vigorously, none OF the spears
appearing weakly or diseased. None OF
the other kind had appeared above the
surface till about ten days, and then only
an occasional spear appearing. This oc-
casional appearing OF new spear has
continued and suppose would continue
! till perhaps with watering and coaXing !
could Is to S5 per cent. to grow, there be-
ing now only % per cent. grown, and So
per cent. OF the old wheat.
| was led to make another compara-
tive test, this time using grain in various
stages OF dampness, and cut at different
seasons. This test you will see in this
vessel (showng vessel) and though not
having had time to develope, will give
some idea Of the comparative value for
seed Of the different kinds OF the grain
used in the test. One kind is grain that
was headed after the first rain but stood
1.-THE stack during the subsequent heavy
rains, and was threshed soon after the
cessa ton OF the rains, the wet and
sprouted grain all being rejected. That,
however, which went through the ma
chine being soft and tough. The third
kind is that which was used in the last
mentioned test above, being headed Nov.
2. The first or earliest has 81 per cent.
grown, the second or that which was
next in degree OF dampness has 70 per
cent grown and the next, or that which
was headed Nov. 2, has but Is per cent.
gr wn. 1t appears plain to me from
these experiments that the dryer the
wheat when harvested the safer it is for
seed, and that there is great risk to run
in sowing that which you headed during
the last dry spell, which was during the
latter part OF October and the first OF No