SEED TESTING AND EXPERIMENTAL WORK.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLVII, Issue 15, 10 April 1912, Page 39

SEED TESTING AND EXPERIMENTAL WORK.

THE FASCINATION OF IT. (By E. Allan. Seed Grower, Auckland). The seedsman of to-day is confronted with a host of difficult problems which he has to solve. He must in the first place be able to demonstrate that the seeds he -ells will grow under ordinary conditions, ami in the second place he must find out if the seel is true to variety. or mixed, or degenerating, and if so. discover a remedy. In the third place he must experiment by actual growth an 1 comparison with existing varieties all new introductions, noting the tendency ami characteristics of each variety. When a parcel of seed arrives from the grower it is critically examined ami. if necessary, re-cleaned. What are calle 1 a test -ample ami a trial ground sample are then taken from the bulk. The test sample is laid out on white paper ami 50 or 100 seeds accurately counted out. labelled or numbered and entered in the growth 1 ook. The counte I seeds are then placed on squares of moist felt or thick moist blotting paper according to the kind of seed. I’hey arc then transferred to the te-ting case, which is heated to a -uitable temperature. and remain there until the specified time for the kin 1 of -eed. Evers sample is then careftillv counted off ami entered up. noting whether growth is -trong or weak. Any growth Inflow the nroper percentage for the varietv tried ha- another test made or a -ample sown in a pot and placed in a cold frame. Thi« work of te-ting for growth i- a tediou-

one. and where a junior is employed his work must al! be checked before sowing, and also in counting off t he result-. The mode of sowing in pots is certainly the best and most reliable method, but it is -low er. When we reach the experimental stage the interest is vastly increased. For months beforehand the wideawake seedsman has been scanning the advertisements in horticultural journal-, reading up the results of experiments of a similar nature in other countries, wading through a host of catalogues and securing a supply of any ami every novelty or speciality for his comparative trials. Almo-t every week brings a postal pa rec', containing artistically got up packets of these precious seeds. The descriptions he reads and notes, then down comes his trial book where they are entered, numbered ami arranged according to the given description. The trial ground is not -pecially prepared beyond good work ing. and a small amount of manure, all. of course, being treated alike. As the seed- begin to show above ground, the growth is again noted if weak or strong, and as the plants move along any distinguishing feature is recorded, such as evenness in growth, healthy or the reverse. height, vigour, etc. When tin* crops reach maturity they are very criticallv examined in everv detail, the merits or defects noted, ami the best are sole, ted for further comparison another sea-on. The work is very slow, but at the -ame time it is fascinating to anyone who loves smh experiments, ami unless one does so. he will find it verv dull in deed. It is by experiments siich as these that one can find out what species -will cross. ()ne will learn what varieties degenerate*. .ami see what might be secured hv artificial crossing. One can trv his hand .it it. and be in a position to know at first haul what others similarly engaged have accomplished. and compan* the results with his own selections or hvbrids. besides knowing exactlv what the seeds be sells mav be expected to rrodm-e under ordinary garden or field t reatm ent.