The record-union., 1898-01-03

the whole, so as to obtain the average
condition of the seed, and after se-
lecting this small portion we carefully
examine it to obtain the poor seed and
impurities. We separate all of the weed
seed and thus obtain the percentage of
poor seed. After this is done the seed
is put to the sprouting test. The seeds
for sprouting are placed in soil in the
department greenhouses and also in the
terminating chamber and given the
proper condition of moisture and at
mosphere, and careful daily record is
kept of the seeds which sprout. In
this way the percentage of terminating
or vitality of the seed is ascertained.
DEPARTMENT, EVEN, IMPOSED ON
I'VE also test all of the seed which
is distributed by the Department of
Agriculture. 1t is a well-known fact
that in previous years some seedmen
imposed upon the department, and as
a result poor seed has been distributed
by the department, unwittingly. At
the present time all seed purchased
by us must come up to the high stand
ard of purity which has been fixed by
the department and the percentage of
purity is determined by this division.
We have also devised a standard ap-
paratus or terminating chamber for
sprouting seed which has been adopted
by the American Association of Exper-
lment Stations, and which is being used
at the different stations throughout the
country. In addition to this matter
OF seed-testing, the seed laboratory is
carrying on interesting experiments on
the effect of the treatment of seed with
various chemictlS to hasten germina-
ton. 1t is we'll known that some seeds
require one or two years from the time
or maturity before they will sprout.
Many formulas have been given from
time to time by experts to hasten
termination. We are also experiment.
ing on the value of selecting only the
heavy and large seeds from a given
lot Tor r anting, and have obtained
some very interesting results. We have
found in the matter of early peas that
not only did the heavy seeds produce
heavier crop, but also produced a
crop which matured from two to six
days earlier than did the crop from
smaller seeds. Judging from the above
facts, farmers could produce earlier and
better crops simply by selecting their
seeds.
AS TO COMPARATIVE SEED vIGOR.
"A serious drawback results from the
fact that many weak plants perish in
the seeding stage. If any seeds are
lacking in vigor, even though they may
germinate, a sudden change of temper
ature or prolonged drought or a slight
frost is apt to destroy plants while
they are in their young and tender
condition.
insufficient attention has been paid
to the fact that different seeds, even
OF the same variety and lot, possess
an unequal vigor, which shows itself in
the plants produced. Therefme it
should be the aim of the plan Is to
SO select seed that both vigor am uni
formity may be secured.
owing to the lack of facilities. these
experiments have not been conducted
on field scale, but numerous investi-
gators have found that heavy seed
wheat, oats End the like produced
heavier crops in the field than did
lighter seed of the same variety. sown
under similar conditions, and there
seems no room for doubt that in the
majority of instances the selection of
large, heavy seed will amply repay the
planter for all the extra time. labor
and money expended
For a number of years there has been
great agitation among the farmers and
others toward securing national legis-
iation which would require seedmen to
guarantee the purity and vitality of
their seed, especially to guarantee that
the seeds of certain vicious weeds are
not to be found in the goods they sell.
A bill was before Congress last winter
10 tnat effect, but nothing came of it.
similar Dill, however, was passed by the
Legislature OF Maine, and seedmen in
the Plne Tree State are therefore COM
pelled by law to guarantee their seed.
our collection of seeds in this diyis-
ion numbers over $1,000 different varie-
ties and is probably the largest seed COL
lection in America, if not in the entire
World. At the present time we are put
tins up packages of the different weed
seeds to be distributed to the different
agricultural experiment stations
througout the country and to our agri-
cultural colleges. We also sell some at
actual cost to leading seedmen.
TREATING BUG-INFECTED SEEDS.
Another thing which is interesting
this division of the department Is the
treatment Of bug infected seed with car
bon bisulphid to kill the insects Seeds
Of the common pea are often badly in
tested with weevils and, in. fact, nearly
all seed grain is subject to their rava-
ges. The common method of seedmen is
to treat such seed with chemical called
carbon bisulphid, which is a very pow
erful gas. We have been making ex-
periments to ascertain the effect of this
gas upon the various varieties of seeds.
We found that there was not the least
elimination in the vitality of wheat,
corn, barley or rye resulting from leav-
ing the seed in contact with the gas for
twenty-four hours at the usual rate of
one pound Of the chemical to 100 bushels
of grain. We also found that in general
the seeds of beans, cotton, buckwheat,
oats and cabbage family and COW peas
Will stand severe treatment with the
fumes of carbon bisulphid without ma
terially injuring their terminating pow
er. On the other hand, seeds of corn,
wheat. rye and other products of the
grass family should be treated with eau
ton when exposed to the fumes of this
chemical"
BETTER STATISTICS AS TO WHEAT
In view of the exceptional interest
that is manifested in the production OF
wheat in the United States, and the rela-
ton of such production to the wheat
crop of the world at large, the division
of statistics has decided to call upon the
correspondents of that division through
out the country to make a special report
to the department. based not upon the