The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1895-02-28
Between the minimum below

ohiN thS upoNC NhlSl ~ W 40
not take place, there is an optimum OF
best temperature.
In vitality tests that temperature is
regarded as best at which termination
begins most speedily. In order to se'
cure the above mentioned conditions or
requisites many different methods oi
seed testing have been adopted. All
good appliances fer this work are
constructed upon the principle that a
proper amount of moisture, an equa BILE
temperature, and good ventilation are
necessary.
The apparatus which has given us
the best satisfaction consists of a
small hemispherical copper boiler
12 inches in diameter and C inches deep,
fastened to the bottom of a galvanized
iron pan 4 feet long, feet wide, and
inches deep. The water passes from
the copper boiler into the pan above,
through four small holes. and is made
to circulate over every part of it by
guides like those in an evaporating
pan. These guides make channels
about ! inch deep and inches wide,
and over them is another bottom firm
ly soldered around the edges. Through
this bottom tube passes for filing
the boiler and bottom pan. AS the
water in the copper boiler is heated it
circulates freely and is conducted by a
return tube back to the boiler.
The heat is furnished by a large
kerosene lamp, a small oil-stove, or a
gas jet from a Bunsen burner. The
boiler, pan, and heating apparatus are
enclosed in box-like frame about four
feet high, with a sloping glass top and
sliding ventilators at the sides.
The sand, muck, loan, or other ma
terial in which seeds are to be placed,
is put either in the upper part of the
large pan, or for convenience in
making observations and removing
terminated seed, it is placed in small
galvanized iron pans ~ inches long,
5 inches wide and II inches deep.
The seeds are simply pressed into the
soil SO that the urSer part of each seed
is on level with the surface.
The soil is kept near the point of
saturation. and the air being continu-
ously moist the effect is about the same
as if the seeds were covered.
In making vitality tests. represen-
tatiye sample of 100 seeds is usually
taken. s--
The seeds are said to have germinat-
ed when the radicle has pushed
through the pericarp and ruptured the
root sheath. 1t is well to bear in mind,
however. tllat there arc two quite dis
tinct st-.ges in complete gerniination:
First, that marked by the appearance
of the first rootlet. and second. the ap-
pearance of the plumule and the &C.
yelonment Of the eIntrvo into an indc
pendent plant.
One of the Erst POINTS of interest i!'
testing the vitality of sir dry seeds is
the rapid increase in weight and vol
ume from the absorption of water
In four hours after placing some dry
peas in the tester they increased over
IS per cent. in weight and so per cent.
in volume, and at the time of germina-
tion-36 hours-the gain in weight
was 1O3 per cent and the gain IN volume
154 pc- cent.
The average of eight samples of air
dried field corn shows the following
rate and amount of absorption during
the process of germination: End of the
first hour, 9.59 per cent; end of second
hour, IL. Is per cent; end of sixth hour,
1871 per cent; end of twelfth hour,
o. per cent. end of eighteenth hour;
32.O5 per cent; end of twenty-fourth
hour, 3s. 73 per cent.
The rapidity with which the process
of termination takes place, while de-
pending mainly upon the vitality Of
the seed, is affected very materially by
temperature. The higher the temper
ature within certain limits not yet
clearly defined, the more rapid the
termination.
We have germinated corn at an aver
age temperature of 42 degree, but it
required ten days to do it. On the
other hand at a temperature of 90 de-
grees the same seed terminated in 1s
hours.
In l,40o vitality tests of seed corn.
the average time till the first germina-
tion in 100 kernels, was 2014 hours, the
extremes being minimum of 13 and
maximum of 144 hours.
With radish seed of fair average vi
tality, the first termination frequently
occurred in 12 hours, the average time
being about l6 hours. With cabbage
seed the flrst termination sometimes
occurred in Is hours, the average time
being Is.
Two hundred and Twenty-Five vitality
tests were made of wheat, embracing
1870 varieties. In these tests the mini
mum time till the first seed germin-
ated was Is hours; the maximum time
25 hours, average 17.6 hours. The
minimum time at which one-half ger
minated was is hours, maximum time,
05 hours, average, 26.s. The minimum
time in which all germinated was "a
hours, maximum time days, average,
4.6 days.
In no one of the 22e tests of wheat
did less than so per cent of the seed
germinate. In AZ per cent. of the whole
number all terminated, and only per
cent. of the tests showed germina-
tion of less than 80 per cent.
Among the lessons taught by the vi
tality tests was this, that it is much
better to procure seeds direct from the
grower, or from a reliable scotsman,
than to procure them Of commission |
men or small retail dealers. For |
example, large number of samples of |
cabbage seed procured direct from var
ious seedsmen gave an averageg ermin-
alton of IS 81 per cent, while an equal
number of tests of seed of the same
varieties procured from grocerymen
and druggists gave only "a. per cent.
germinated, q difference of over so per
cent. in favor of the former.
I'm the tests of radish seed there was
also vast difference. The average
termination of the seed from commits
sion men was only "a per cent, while
that of the same varieties from seeds
men averaged Is per cent. Another
lesson taught with great distinctness
was that our self-grown seeds must be
cured and well preserved if
we wish to secure the best results. |
This difference in the vitality of seeds
due to different methods of preserving
may be illustrated by few examples.
Some years ago an interesting series
of tests was made under my direction,
to show the comparison in vitality be-
tween corn kept in the ordinary crib