The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-01-31
WHAT OTHER PEOPLE THINK
Good Seed Wheat.
To the Editor of The Journal.


In The Journal of Jan. 81 there
appeared a statement from the Jewell
Nursery company, Lake City, which es--
sentially advocates the use of rusted
wheat for seed. Under the circumstances,
the results of the termination tests as
set forth in the article apt be mis-
| leading, without some provisional COM
ment. There is no reason to doubt the
truth of tho statement and accuracy Of
the test, but it should be remembered that
the conditions. under which the test was
conducted were probably tho most favor
able to plant growth, and under such IA
vorable conditions, the rusted wheat
would probably equal in appearance that
from good seed. The natural conditions
Of field culture, however, would be less
favorable in the early part of the grow
ing season, and the plants would be less
likely to be equal in appearance to those
from strong, plump, fully-matured seed.
On the other hand the shrunken wheat,
having had its vitality impaired by the
| ravages of rust. could not be expected
| (only under the most favorable conditionsp
to produce reasonably good crop. But
it is not at all probable that conditions
will be entirely favorable, hence, an in
ferior crop is sure to result. ....
Again, it was stated in the report that
the good" seed, with which the rusted
! seed was com pared, was obtained from the
local fourrni1, and that the wheat was
shipped in. Under such circumstances, it
is hardly probable that the wheat was
a truly good seed. The treatment which
| this wheat received during transit may
have impaired it's terminating power
or binning the grain while green may
have had an Ill effect upon the viability
of the seed. The low germinatio indi-
Gates that some adversely had been at
work and had killed the germ in many of
the kernels and had affected the others.
On this account, the test seems hardly q
The Minnesota experiment station has
been making some tests relative to value
of poor seed, as compared with good seed,
and thus far: the results from poor seed
| have been inferior to those of good seed.
| Sterilized sand has been used to demon
strate the fact that the shrunken, ,rusted
| wheat could not produce plant equal to
one from good, plump, fully matured seed.
4 There were three classes of seed used:
The common lot the selected lot and
high-grade lot. Lot 1-Kernels were plant
ed from the rusted wheat just as they
4 came in the bulk grain. Lot For this
/ lot the seeds were carefully selected and
| graded by the fanntngmill, saving for lot
No. 2 only the heaviest, largest and
plumpest kernels from the bulk. Lot s.
The seed for this lot was taken from the
| -
Minnesota, No 169. which was grown by
Mr.. Solem. Norman county, Minnesota.
There was little difference in the germina-
! ton of the three lots, but very appar-
:. ent difference in the strength of growth
/ between lots Nos. 1 and 3, and a percepti-
| BILE difference between lots Nos. 1 and 2,
| lot No. l in each case being spindling and
generally weaker-looking. Other expert
ments carried on by the writer at the Illi-
nois experiment station, under similar
| favor of the good seed. In the averaee
growth per plant. Actual tests with the
sowing Of shrunken grain have invariably
shown that an inferior yield and poorer
quality result from the use OF poor seed
1t will be folly to use the shrunken. rusted
wheat for seed this spring. for it is only
! it will produce a crop and those favorable
| ence. r~~.... r. H. .,r-.
| urging the use Of good seed-especialiv
/ 1853, and Minnesota No 1853. Farmers
should save only the plumpest and heavi-
est grains for planting, even tho it may
| be as little as per cent of the bulk grain.
| This can be secured by the use of any
| good fanningmill, and will give them
fairly good quality, of seed, of a variety
that is adapted to their local conditions,
and seed that has higher average vitality
| than the unsolicited stock
! &C P. Bull
Division, of Agriculture, Minnesota Exper-
iment Station