Newspapers / The Carolina Union Farmer … / May 16, 1912, edition 1 / Page 2
Part of The Carolina Union Farmer (Charlotte, N.C.) / About this page
This page has errors
The date, title, or page description is wrong
This page has harmful content
This page contains sensitive or offensive material
! - i j ■ ifcri! Page Two Purity and Germination Methods and Tests to Determine Quality of Agri cultural and Garden Seeds, (The following is the second in stallment of an article on the “Purity of Germination” of agricultural seed tested by the North Carolina Depart ment of Agriculture and is taken from Bulletin prepared by Prof. O. I. Tillman, Botanist of the Depart ment: ) The Germination Test. Not less important than avoiding impure seeds is the avoidance of seeds having low or no vitality, which fact can be determined only by the ger mination test. An illustration of the difference in the germinating quality of seeds found on the open market is shown by the illustration on the cover page, of two germination tests of cowpeas. These tests were made at the same time and given identically the same condition; in fact, the tests were placed side by side in the germi nating chamber. In case of one sam ple there was no germination, while the other germinated 100 per cent. Between these two extremes there are all grades of seeds having high or low germination, and this is true of all the different kinds. As it is possi ble to obtain good high-grade seed, no farmer should be willing to take the risk of purchasing seed whose germinating quality he did not know nor be satisfied with only a fair- grade seed. Partial or total failure of crops is often due to no other rea son than that the seed planted will not grow. At the laboratory the germination tests can be made somewhat more accurately, as with the germinating chambers the seeds can be given the temperatures most favorable for their growth. Kentucky blue-grass and a few other grasses are given special conditions; they are grown under small glass bell jars and the seed bed is kept saturated by means of a wick extending from a piece of cot ton flannel cloth placed under the blotting paper upon which the seeds are germinated down into a tray of water; but in case of the majority of seeds the germination test can successfully be made at home. The sample should be mixed thor oughly, then 100 seeds counted out just as they come, no selection being made. These should then be placed, not touching, on moist cotton flannel cloth or blotting paper between two dinner plates. The seeds should be kept at room temperature or at about 70 degrees Fah. Seeds which sprout quickly are more vigorous than those which take a longer time, and it is, therefore, advisable to make at least two counts of the sprouted seeds, as by doing this the per cent of vigorous seeds can be determined as well as the total per cent that will grow. It is well to make the first count at the end of half the time given the entire test. All good seeds will have ger minated in the length of time given for the test in the germination table, page 40. The number of sprouted seeds indicates the per cent of seeds that will grow under favorable condi tions. , The cotton flannel cloth used as a seed-bed is torn into strips about the width of a dinner plate and four times as long. It is then doubled once and the seeds placed on half and the other half doubled over them. By folding it in this way it gives a dou ble thickness and retains the mois ture better. The cloths should be sterilized by boiling and allowed to cool before using. Blotting paper folded in like manner is also satisfac tory, especially for the smaller seeds. Care should be taken that the seeds are kept moist, but not wet, as too much moisture is rhore injurious than not enough. Submitting Samples. When sending seed to be tested it is important that the sample fairly represents the bulk from which it is taken. It would be helpful in secur ing an accurate sample if the fol lowing directions were followed; The contents of the package, bag, or bar rel should be mixed thoroughly with the hand and arm; take several hand fuls from various parts of the pack age, top, middle, and bottom; mix these well together and take a part of this mixture for the sample. For a fair sample the following amounts of the various seeds should be sent; of the smaller seeds, like red-top, tim othy, and red clover, about four ta blespoonfuls is a’ sufficient amount, and of the larger seeds, as oats, wheat and vetch, about a cupful is neces sary. Samples should be sent by mail, se curely wrapped to prevent leakage, and the following information should accompany all samples: Name and address of wholesale and retail deal er, retail price, and name and ad dress of sender. There is no charge for making tests. Address all sam ple to the Seed Laboratory, North Carolina Department of Agriculture, Raleigh, N. C. Tobacco seed will also be cleaned for the farmers of the State, and it is highly desirable for all tobacco growers to have their seed cleaned, as the plants from cleaned seed are more vigorous and uniform in size, come on earlier and more nearly at the same time, and the yield and prof it of the crop is materially increased. One North Carolina farmer writes us that the crops from cleaned seed in his neighborhood were 50 per cent greater than the crops from unclean ed seed. A vertical airblast seed separating machine, equipped with an adjustable gauge, so that any desired strength current may be obtained, is used for cleaning the seed. No charge is made for doing this work. used as adulerants. Some seeds which can successfully be adulterated are the grasses, alfalfa, and red clov er, while other seeds as white and alsike clover have form and color more strikingly peculiar to each, and other kinds of seeds cannot be so suc cessfully employed as adulterants. It is not so serious when commer cial seeds are used as adulterants as when noxious seeds are used. T e chief objection to the use of commer cial seeds as adulterants, is that the purchaser does not get the crop ® desires, and that he pays a higher price than the value of the seed. B' lustrations of the adulteration of ag ricultural seeds, with other commer cial seeds, are English rye grass and meadow fescue used to adulterate Poor and Adulterated Seed. In agriculture there are often un avoidable losses, but the losses and disastrous results, occasioned by planting poor seed is within the con trol of the purchaser, and the seri ous effect of such an oversight cannot be too strongly emphasized. The dif ference in the price of cheap low- grade seed and high-priced good- grade seed should be no considera tion whatever, as even the sum paid for the poor seed is often an entire loss, but this is slight in comparison with the loss of time and labor, the failure to obtain a crop, and the in troduction of noxious weeds upon the land, often to such an extent that the production of certain crops is in terfered with or made impossible; for Instance,wild mustard on wheat land. All of these losses are caused by planting poor seed. Seeds are poor for a number of reasons; low vitality, due to age, immaturity or improper conditions of harvesting and storing; impurity, due to the presence of other commer clal seeds than those of the sale name, weed seeds, quartz particles sifted to the proper size, and other inert mat ter; any of these may be present by deliberate adulteration or otherwise. The opportunities for adulteration vary greatly with the different kinds of seeds, as the size, form, and color of some are not conspicuously differ ent from those of much cheaper and less desirable seeds which are often IMPORTANT TO UNION FARMERS ppwlfo rOH SPECIAL PRICE DIRECT TO YOU, FROM FACTORY TO FARM. We are selling our Famous Sub-Soil Plows direct to Farmers at Factory Prices. If you are intersted in Sub-Soil Pl()ws, Write us. We guarantee every Plow, and if it is not exact ly as represented, we will refund your money. COFFEE and CLEMMER Gastonia, North Carolina. Mention this paper when writine. THE RURAL PROBLEM —OR— Why Farmers Should Organize and Stay Organizea By J. Z. GREEN, State Organizer-Lecturer North Carolina Division of Farmers* Union. I ^To Protect and Promote Class intei'ests. II—To Co-operate as a Neighborhood. III To Curtail and Control Production of Crops for the Market. IV xo Establish and Maintain a Co-operative Marketing System. V To Price the Products of tlie Farm. VI—To Co-operate in Buying. VII To Stay Organized and Educate. Do you need a lecturer to visit your Local Union? Here are seve^ lectures dealing with neglected rural problems that can be solved oo through class organization and co-operation. Are there any indifferent weak-kneed members on your roll Tfb haven’t learned enough about the Farmers’ Union to stick and stay the fight? Here are seven lectures that touch all the fundamental pr ciples of Unionism and Co-operation. Do you have any reading farmers in your vicinity who haven’t 1 connected themselves with the Farmers’ Union? They wouldn’t out to hear a lecturer, perhaps, but you can send these seven lectur in book form (32 pages) to each of them and they’ll read them in th® homes. Hundreds of men have been converted to the Farmers’ j by reading one copy of the Carolina Union Farmer. These spec lectures will appeal to the reading, thinking farmers, and that s i kind that must be depended upon to carry this movement to victory ® success. . jjt This 32-page booklet is now ready for distribution and will be 0®^^ out from State Secretary-Treasurer’s office at cost of printing postage, at 4 cents per copy, or 40 cents per dozen by mail. A J . money appropriated from your local treasury and invested In cop of these lectures for distribution In your vicinity will prove to o0 missionary fund that will be fruitful of more permanent results, at t, than is posible by any other method of campaign work for the ^ ^ mers’ Union. In ordering these booklets you can remit amounts in 2-c postage stamps, if you prefer. Order only from E. C. FAIRES, ABERDEEN, N.
The Carolina Union Farmer (Charlotte, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
May 16, 1912, edition 1
2
Click "Submit" to request a review of this page. NCDHC staff will check .
0 / 75