The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1916-01-14
ORDER GARDEN
SEED r
termination Tests Made on Re-
quest by College of Agricul-

Cheap garden seed is often
dear at any price, in the opinion
of J. S. Gardner, of the Mis-
souri, College of Agriculture. A
high price is not necessarily a
guarantee of high quality, but it
does not pay to buy cheap seeds
which may not grow, or may not
produce vegetables of a good va
riety if they do grow. The loss
of time and ground is so great
that the slightly higher cost Of
seeds furnished by reliable firms
saves the planter money in the
long run.
The buyer must depend entire
ly upon the reputation Of the
scotsman to insure his getting
seed of the variety he orders, but
after the seed has been secured,
he can test his termination pow
er or get the College of Agricul-
ture to do it for him free of
charge. If he makes the test
himself, it is better to plant
fifty or a hundred of the seeds
in a flat box of earth and see
how many Of them will develop
into plants. They should be
planted just as deeply in the
box as they would be if planted
in the garden. This is a much
better test than that ordinarily
made between moist blotters, or
in similar ways which enable
many seeds to sprout that have
not vitality enough to produce
good plants in the garden, or
even to get thru the soil at all.
1t is not necessary to demand as
high a termination percentage
in case of cabbage, tomato, OF
other seeds that are to be start
INDOORS, or in hot beds, and trans
planted later, but in general, al
least eighty out of every hun.
dred tested should grow, or the
seed should not be used.
If it is too much trouble t.
) make the actual planting test
another may be made by simply
) putting seeds between sheets 0.
plotting paper, and keeping
them moist but not too wet, an(
at ordinary room temperature
; about co. For a reasonable
/ length of time. Radishes an(
a lettuce may be expected to sprou.
in two or three days, while car
rots and some other seeds may
: require much longer time. l
plotting paper is not available
/, several thicknesses of an ordi
= nary newspaper, or perhaps bet
= ter, cloth may be used to holc
the moisture. The bottom Of
n shallow dish should be covere,
r with half an inch or an inch 0
+ sand, which will keep the blot
f ting paper moist and furnis.
v drainage to keep the water fror
standing around the seed. !
o many tests are to be made a
e once, two sheets Of paper, o
cloth, between which the frs
r layer of seeds is placed, may b
n made. the bottom of a consider
It able pile of similar tests whic
can be thoroughly sprinkled frol
r, the top and allowed to drai
% down into the sand.
d 1t is important that the ten
y perature be kept uniform, vel
d tilation be good, and the drail
l age be thorough, and that moi
/ ture be kept about the seed
These conditions can be contro
d led well in many kitchens, livir
lie rooms, and easements, but pc
If haps the incubator will contr
them better than anything ell
re found on the farm. 1t won
n probably not be a good thing
try to make tests while eggs a.
IF being Matched, but if many saT
n pies are to be tested, the incub
If tor can be filed up with see
~. - - $50,