Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1918-04-12
RAG IOLLS

seeds terminate we will have practically
nothing to eRt; equally patent that if
only half the seeds ever grow, we shall
have just half as much to eat as would
be the case if 100 per cent efficiency
were assured before seeds 90 into the
soil.
We know Of misled preacher,
doubtless very earnest in his own con-
victon, who argued to the members Of
of his parish in little town across Lake
Champlain that it was sinful pro.
cedure for the farmer to be so over in
quisitive as to dig up seed from his field
in order to make sure whether it was
terminating properly. There are not
many farmers whose conscience would
trouble them greatly in this respect,
but the fact remains that although seed
termination tests have been preached
by. the agricultural authorities for years,
and an overwhelming stress has been
laid upon the matter since the war
began, there are still so many chances
taken with INFESTED seeds, in the face
of all arguments to the contrary, that
we should view the situation with shame
not at our ignorance, but our careless
ness at such critical period of cur food
situation.
An unusual effort seems necessary to
bring the matter home, and the County
Agents throughout the State will at
tempt this month some new methods
which, from the point of simplicity and
educational value, should stir up great
deal of interest in this important mat.
ter Certain weeks are to be set aside
as seed testing weeks, and the dates
for Addison and Chittenden counties
have already been set for the week of
April % to 9th. During that period all
the schools of the county are to CO.
operate in the matter. The teachers
have received instructions in germi-
nation tests which are extremely sim
pie, and of apparent educational value
to the pupils themselves. The farmers
boys are to be urged to bring their own
or their neighbors seeds to the schools
where the germ tests will be made and
reports furnished.
More than any other year, the neces-
sity of the seed tests is paramount this
spring. Preliminary Investigations
have developed the fact that seeds gen.
orally are poorer quality this year than
for many seasons past. This alarming
condition is reported all through the
northern United States from New Eng
land west to the Rocky mountains, and
is plainly due to unusual weather con-
ditions last season. The early winter
found the seeds still full of moisture,
and this freezing generally destroyed
the germs. AS natural result, seeds
are low in quality and high in price. In
the West seed corn is selling anywhere
from Sc to SIS "a bushel while in the Fast
prices are ranging from 81 to $40.
These figures are for corn alone. Bean
seed is considered equally poor, though
tests have.not been made generally as
yet.
Statistics are not attractive, but
there has been handed to US table of
figures from which startling facts may
be distilled az to the Importance of seed
purity as well as termination tests.
For instance, in the purchase of alfalfa
seed the choice between two samples,
one of which was marked with the deal
er's guarantee of 1896 percent pure,
and another guaranteed as 1874 pure,
the farmer might readily believe that
there was little difference. Taking
such samples, however. the State Ex-
tension Service has found that in the
high percentage sample under tests not
a single weed developed, while in the
poorer sample there were 2,O30 weeds
to every pound of seed. Corn, in the
matter of purity test, is less danger
Gus purchase, as between 100 percent
and an 80 percent sample, each proved |
to be NEEDLESS. But with millet and |
oats, clover, red top and timothy, a diff
ference of point or two in the percent
age means the multiplication of weeds
by the thousands. A striking exam
pie is shown in a sample of red top
guaranteed at "a percent pure which
tested $3.50 weeds to the pound while
the 80 percent sample developed 131, $40
weeds to the pound. Count them
Growers cannot ordinarily make
purity test, but they can see that every
package of seed weighing five pounds
or more has purity guarantee attached