The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1901-07-26


duction and on the adjacent agricul-
tural lands. The effects of forest fires
on the forest land and the relation OF
such denudation to the flow of water
in streams and the supply of water
for irrigation is fully shown. The
principal types of trees and forests
are illustrated to show the size and
lumber production of forests occupy
ing agricultural and nonagricultural
lands. The value of preserving certain
types of protective forests on water
sheds for the conservation of water
important to large areas of agricul-
tural lands is illustrated. A special
feature of the Photographic display is
the illustration of individual trees, OF
the mammoth big trees, the giant red
frs, white frs and the sugar pines of
the California Sierras by colored
transparencies. It is interesting to
state in this connection that these
transparencies are the largest ever
made. Typical agricultural valley
lands in the east and west are illus
trated on the same scale, showing the
special protective agencies of natural
adjacent mountain forests and plant
ed shelter belts of forest trees. The
region and the subject from which
these illustrations were taken are rep
resentative of the principal agricul-
tural and forest sections of the United
States.
The progressive agriculturist will
4 NJ 90 L: Al, = wi
sion of botany, as it relates to one of
the first essentials of his calling. The
exhibit represents 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 freedom from seeds
of noxious weeds. Thousands of sam
Piles from farmers and seedsmen in all
parts of the country are also tested
at this laboratory. The work is of
special interest to farmers, gardeners,
seedsmen and experiment station
workers, to whom the subject of pure
seeds is of vital Importance. The seed
laboratory of the department Of agri-
culture is well recognized as the most
important seed testing station in
America. It's methods, standards and
most important pieces of apparatus
have been adopted for seed testing
at many of the state experiment sta
tons.
On entering the space devoted to
this exhibit at the left of the main
aisle one sees first in glass case a
purity separating table with magni-
flying glass, forceps and other tools
used by experts of pure seed, chaff,
sand and other foreign matter and
weed seeds. Next is a pair of fine
balances on which samples are
weighed, all percentages in seed pur-
ity tests being based upon weight.
Beyond the scales is new combined
mixer and sampler. In this guam
tity of seeds is quickly mixed and a
sample of the desired amount deliv-
cred which will fairly represent the
entire lot. One of the most attrac-
tive pieces of apparatus used in pur-
ity testing is the blast impurity sep
arator, which is also a new device.
The air blast is furnished by modern
blower driven by an electric motor.
The device itself, however, in which
the separation of chaff and lighter i'm
purities from seed is performed
through the action Of an air current,
consists of simple bent glass tube
connected with receiver.
Actual termination tests are carried
on at the exposition as in the seed
laboratory at Washington. CONNER
cial seeds are counted, arranged in
folded blue blotters, moistened and
placed in the standard germinati ting
chamber, where they are kept at fixed
temperatures favorable to germina-
ton. Check termination tests, such
as are employed in conducting tests
with many kinds of seeds, are made in
sterilized sand and soil in greenhouse
"fats." The number germinating
each day for definite period in each
of the tests are noted and the per-
centage of termination thus COM
puted.
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 desig-
mated by English speaking people
wherever found. A unique feature is
an exhibit of seeds of many of these
weeds and also several kinds of com
mercial seeds arranged under 40 mag.
nifying glasses, accompanied by seeds
of the same kinds in open dishes, so
that one may readily compare the
magnifed impression with the actual
seed and note differences and distinc-
tive characters that would notappear
to the unaided eye.
The results and Importance of seed
testing are graphically represented
by several groups of glass tubes con-
tanning different kinds of commercial
seeds. These show the ordinary COM
mercial 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 de.
termined by test of similar sample
and the proportion of waste A COM
parison of these last two indicates
how much is often paid for waste in
buying INFESTED and poorly cleansed