THE TESTING OF SEEDS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 14 September 1908, Page 1

THE TESTING OF SEEDS.

The germinating power of seeds is of the greatest importance to the agriculturist and gardener. There are many ■ rinses which may lead to seed failing, either entirely or partially, to grow, even when everything is in its favour; and it is poor economy to accept the sample as of good quality only to find, when all the labour of tillage has beer exDended. that the seed or a large por tron of it has failed to germinate. It if' practically impossible to tell by examination whether srrc-d possesses the necessary vitality. Variations of temperature may have destroyed this essential pro nertv. for. if imperfectly dried, it would, on the one hand, be ruined by frost gaining access to it, or, on the ether, by heating when stored in bulk. Seed loses its vitality in course of time, and. though rendered useless from thi.-' cause, it will often show little external riorns of ago. Attacks by insects or mou'd. either during growth or after it has beon gathered, often render it of little or no value. Assuming, therefore, titat the seed has been grown, collected, and stored with every care, it is still good policy on the part of the farmeT to submit its germinating powers tQ a simnle test, readily available, before committing himself irrevocably toanv liance upon its good qualities. By subjecting every sample to thie trial, he can satisfy himself of its value, and save n'mself from the possible disappoint nent of sowing seed which is likely to .row as so much _>and. To make a satisfactory test it is necesrarv to olant the seed in the soil. All .he apparatus that is required (say 6 'London Field") |may be- found at iome. or is readily procurable. Thie consists of a large dinner-plate, two circular nieces of stout cloth, of somewhat similar diameter, and a sheet of glass large enough to cover the plate.. The two sheets of cloth should be soaked in water, and squeezed out, so as to get rid of tho air they contain, os wdi as the surplus water. Placing one on the o!ate. the seeds to be tested should be distributed -over the surface, and rovered with the second piece of cloth, and the sheet of glass placed on the top, so that it fits closely down on the edge of the plate. The glass prevents the evaporation of the moisture, while admitting the light. The plate .jfconM be keot in the house, the warmth of which will encourage germination, but a high temtierature ia .not necessary. Care should be taken to get a fair sample of the seed for the experiment, and not to test merely a few grains , but as many as will cover the plate, for by this means not only will it be possible to whether the seed still possesses the oower of germination, but a very ac '^ate idea cm be formed, by counting and removing the grains as they show siois of ttiwth. of the exact-propor-tion of the seed that is fertile. As a lew dav. will determine the matter one wav or another, this simple and sate factor* test entails so l.tt c loss of time and the troub c is so slight, that it ."honk I always be applied "h;ne,-er there is the least doubt as to the ger. minating properties of seed about to be

Farmers are the most generous of men. A-fter butchering they always give a hog a weigh.

Bob : "See that accident?" Bill : "What I accident?" Bob r "That cowslip on the I lawn." I

Do not buy all the machinery for yourself ; remember your wife's burdens might be lessened also.

One of the largest graziers in the Gulgong district, N.S. Wales, is killing his sheep to save the wool.

Prompt and regular settlements _ are I I commendable from every point of view I ' Even the weather settles every few days. I

There aro m:ny men who, no matter how tired they are seem to take a pleasure in £oing away down tho road to meet '. trouble.

Sheep need shade as much as any farm animal. Can you give them a few goodsized trees to lie under in "the heat of the j day?

The milk tests at the last Royal show I (England), now published, show that the ! percentage of points gained by the Lincoln Reds was an exceptionally high one. ■ Mr John Evens' first prize-winner, Bur ton Vie. 2nd, comes out at the top of the Shorthorns with 83.9 points. There were ■ eight Lincoln Reds whose, points were 67 36, and the average quantity from the Lincoln Reds was Sllb loz of milk, with 3.35 per ceut of butter fat.

.-. ... *■- X«tMas S»co«e*i I^ke Success. A very pleasant »ud, lt ■to - believed, oermanent r«_jiiU' of the visit of the I American Fte^trto New Zealand, is recorded by ti_ec£"N.Z. Graphic" proprietary, who have found that tl_e splendid Fleet numbers published proved a 1 1 eapital advertisement, enormously Ib--11 creasing their ordinary circulaMto. "T«t best illustrated in the world" to »• usual comment on the paper. , ;

1 Gigantic Conspiracy. 'Tis a gigantic conspiracy of Lotahs J and Colds against you. . Foil it with Dr Sheldon's New Disoovery for d Couah, Colds, and Consumption. Price • le m and 3». Obtainable eveiywlwr©.