The Topeka state journal., 1901-04-10
TESTING THE SEEDS
EXPERIMENTS TO BE MADE
AT THE PAN-AMERIcAN.
Exbibit Of the Division Of Bot
any Of the UDit@d States De-
PArtTDeDf Of Agriculture
viii Deeply IRterSst
A9ri~uIturists-


The progressive agriculturist win be
interested in the exhibit of the Division
of Botany of the United States Depart
ment of Agriculture at the Pan-Ameri-
can Exposition, as it relates to one Of
the first essentials OF his calling. The
exhibit will be restricted to only one OF
the numerous lines of work conducted
by the Division of Botany-namely,
pure seed Investigations. It will rep
resent the work of the Seed Laboratory
at the Department of Agriculture.
where samples of all seeds distributed
by the Government are now carefully
tested for purity, germinability and free
dom from seeds of noxious weeds.
Thousands Of samples from farmers
and seedsmen in all parts of the coun-
try are also tested at this laboratory
The work is of special interest to farm
ers, gardeners, seedsmen and expert
ment station workers, TO whom the
subject of pure seeds is of vital impor-
tance. The Seed Laboratory Of the De-
partment Of Agriculture is well recog-
nized as the most important seed test
ing station in America Its methods.
standards and most important pieces Of
apparatus have been adopted for seed
testing at many of the State expert
ment stations. The methods now in
use and many of the instruments and
larger pieces of apparatus have been
devised and perfected by the men in
charge to meet the necessities Of the
work.
On entering the space devoted to this
exhibit at the left of the main aisle one
sees first in a glass case a purity sepa-
rating table, with magnifying glass,
forceps and other tools used by experts
in separating a sample Of commercial
seed into its component parts of pure
seed, chaff, sand and other foreign mat
ter and weed seeds Next is a pair of
fine balances, on which samples are
weighed, all percentages in seed purity
tests being based upon weight. Be
yond the scales is a new combined mix
er and sampler. In this a quantity OF
seeds is quickly mixed and sample of
the desired amount delivered which viii
fairly represent the entire lot. One Of
the most attractive pieces of apparatus
used in purity testing is the blast inn
l purity separator, which Is also a new
device. The air blast is furnished by a
modern blower driven by an electric
motor. The device itself, however. in
which the separation Of cham and light
er impurities from seed is performed
through the action of an air current,
consists of a simple bent glass tube
connected with a receiver
Actual termination tests will be car
ried on at the Exposition as in the Seed
Laboratory at Washington. CONNER
cial seeds viii be counted, arranged in
folded blue blotters, moistened and
placed in the standard terminating
chamber, where they viii be kept at
fixed temperatures favorable to ger
mination. Check termination tests.
such as are employed in conducting
tests with many kinds of seeds, win be
made in sterilized sand and soil in
greenhouse flats" The number ger
minating each day for a definite period
in each Of the tests will be noted and
the percentage of termination thus
computed.
Many weeds the seeds of which are
most frequently found as impurities in
commercial seeds are represented by
living plants, labeled with the names
by which they should be designated by
English speaking people wherever
found. A unique feature is an exhibit
of seeds of many of these weeds and
also several kinds of commercial seeds
arranged under forty magnifying glass
es, accompanied by seeds of the same
kinds in open dishes, so that one may
readily compare the magnified impress
sion with the actual seed and note diff
ferences and distinctive characters that
would not appear to the unaided eye.
The results and Importance Of seed
several groups of glass tubes contain
ing different kinds of commercial seeds
These show the ordinary commercial
seed the amount of pure seed true to
name in the sample and the amount Of
inert matter, such as chaff, sticks and
sand. the proportion of weed seeds and
finally the amount of germinable seeds
true to name, as determined by test of
similar sample and the proportion Of
waste A comparison of these last two
indicates how much is often paid for
waste in buying untested and poorly
cIeansed seeds.
Commercial seed growing IS shown by
Photographic illustrations Of some Of
the largest seed farms in California,
where the production of garden seeds
has reached its highest development in
this country.
The exhibit is under the general di-
rection of Mr.. Frederick V. Covi1le.
Chief of the Division of Botany, and
under the immediate supervision Of Mr..
Edgar Brown, assistant in charge of
termination tests in the Seed Testing
Laboratory.
GOVERNMENT FISH EXHIBIT.