Texas Agricultural Experiment Stations

Bulletin No. 81

BOTANICAL SECTION. DECEMBER, I905.

Alfalfa Seed Testing

By O. l"l. BALL.

Postoffice:
College Station, Brazos County, Texas.

TEXAS AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATIONS.

OFFICERS.

GOVERNING BOARD.

(BOARD OF DIRECTORS A. AND u. cOLLEGE.)

M. SANsOM, President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Alvarado

F. A. REICHARDT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . Houston

K. K. LEGGETT . . . . . . . . . . _ _ _ _ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Abilene

GEO. T. JESTER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ._ . .Corsicana

W. I. CLAY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Austin

A. HAIDUSEK. . . ._ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . _LaGrange

L. D. AMSLER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..Hempstead

A. j. BROWN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..Dallas

STATION OFFICERS.
H. H. HARRINGTON, M. S., President of the College.

JOHN A. CRAIG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Dean and Director
M. FRANCIS, D.V.M.  ......V€IE'I'lll£l1‘ldI1
F. S. JOHNSTON . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..Agriculturist
E. j. KYLE, M S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Horticulturist
F. R. MARSHALL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...~\nimal Husbandry
EDWARD C. GREEN, B. S. . . .. .... . . .. ......"\SSlSlf‘-.llt IIOI-tietilturist
G. S. FRAPS. .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. ... ...._....ACting Chemist
R. L. BENNETT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..C<>tton Specialist
O. M. B.~'\I.l..... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. ........Botani.~:t
B. C. PITTUCK . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Feerl Inspector
C. O. MOSER . . . . . .. .............. . ..Deputy Feed Inspector
M. S. CIIIIRQI: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . _ _ __ . .Deputy Feed In.~pector

JOHN C. BURNS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A<si.~t1nt Animal HIISDJIICITY

I. G. HARRISON . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..B)Ol{l{ti€p€f

C. W. CRISLFR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..Clerk Feed Control

MISS M. H. XVATRINs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . .SIC1lOgT£lpll€I‘

SFATE SUB-STATIONS.

I. K. ROBERTSON,Supe-rintendent . . . . . . .~ . . . . . .Beeville, Bee Countv
W. S. HOTcHKISs, Superintendent. . . . . . . . .Troupe, Smith County

NOTE.—T/"ie main station is located on the grounds 0f the Agriezilt-
ural and Mechanical College in Brazos County. The Postojiiee ciddress is
College Station, Texas. Reports and Bulletins are sent free upon (rppliea-
tion to the Director.

l.

TABLE OF CONTENTS.

PAGE
Testing for Purity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 4

Good Alfalfa Seed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Method of Examining for Purity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 6

Weed Seeds Often Found in Alfalfa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Russian Thistles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . _ 7

Rib Grass .9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

TumbleWeed . . . . . . . .  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  7

Careless Weed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Dodder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 7

Green Foxtail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Yellow Foxtail. . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 9

Curled Dock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Seeds Sometimes Used As Adulterants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Bur Clover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

Sweet Clover W . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ., . . . . . . l . . . . . .10

Samples Tested for Purity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Testing the Vitality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13

Method of Home Testing of Samples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Samples Tested for Vitality. . . .l . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Free Testing by Experiment. Station . . . . . . . , _ _ _ _ . . . . . . . . . . I5

Alfalfa Seed Testing

By O. M. BALL.

The rapid development during the past year or two of the use of
alfalfa as a forage crop makes the matter of purity of the seed to be
sown of peculiar importance to the planter. Alfalfa seed, like those
of clover, timothy and other similar forage plants’, are very small and
are hence particularly liable to become contaminated with small and in-
jurious weed seeds and with the seeds of other leguminous plants,
such as bur clover, sweet clover and sanfoin. Indeed, many seeds-
men have not been above mixing seeds of the latter with alfalfa as
adulterants, since they are in many cases far cheaper and their great
similarity to the genuine alfalfa seed makes detection of the adultera-
tion extremely. difficult for the average farmer. It must be said,
however, that wilfrul-adulteration of seeds is, all things considered, of
comparative rare occurrence. It is practiced, however, and hence the
planter should learn to distinguish the true seed from the false, a
matter which is sometimes of great difficulty’.

I. TESTING THE PURITY.

In the majority of cases, the foul seeds found in any given sam-
ple are present only by accident or as the result of imperfect cleaning.
When the percentage of such foreign matter is very high, there is, at
least, good ground for suspicion. Such seeds should be declined.

Inert matter is also very often present in small seeds, sometimes
to an extent which materially affects their value, and is also an indi-
cation of carelessness or of willful adulteration. This inert matter is
usuallys and or broken stems and may be readily detected by the
purchaser.

Another impurity commonly found 1s dead, immature, or old seed.
These may also be present in large quantity, but may be readily de-
tected by their color, which is always brown or black in the dead
and old seed and pea green in the immature. A large admixture of
these lowers the value of the seed in the same manner as inert matter.

600d Alfalfa Good, fresh alfalfa seed, (See figures in upper

Seed. row of Plate I.) are always of a healthy olive
or yellowish green and are full and plump, never shriv-
eled nor discolored. There are apparently some exceptions to
this, the principal one being the seeds of the foreign alfalfas, after
importation, such~ as Turkestan and German, where the color isa
dull, rusty brownish green without the fine lustre of the fresh Ameri-
can grown. We have found, however, that the vitality of such seeds
is never as high as that of the fresh homegrown kinds.

In size the seeds are similar to those of red clover. They vary
considerably in shape, some being roughly triangular in outline, while
others are kidney-shaped, and still others are more or less irregular.
A good idea of the various form may be gotten from Plate I. Note

5 DULTERANTS AND WEED SEEDS FOUND IN ALFALFA SEED.
l  FORMS OF ALFALFA SEED OF HEALTHY COLOR.

  
  

        

ALFALFA.
MEDICAGO SATIVA.

OTHER CLOVER SEEDS SOMETIMES USED AS ADULTERANTS.

I SWEET MELILOT, WHITE. SWEET MELILOT, YELLOW. BURR CLOVER.
MELILOTUS ALBA. MELILOTUS INDICA. MEDICAGO DENTICULATA.

    
     

l OXIOUS WEED SEEDS VERY COMMONLY FOUND IN ALFALFA SEED.

 

 0
I \
o

SIB GRASS, PLANTAIN. TUMBLE WEED. CARELESS WEED.
OLANTAGO LANCEOLATA. AMARANTHUS GRACILARIS. AMARANTHUS HYBRIDUS.

SPECIALLY NOXIOUS WEED SEEDS FREQUENTLY FOUND IN
A ALFALFA SEED.

 

O

RUSSIAN THISTLE; . _f ~ A A " , D@DDER_
SALSOLA KALI TRAGUS. ‘ F  gugguq-A ARVENSS

     

7 red under direction of Dr Ball AH seeds shown magnified 15 times. Actual size
.11.

bv Frank P. Lund. m dam A: -,.1A......1 - .........=-_

ALFALFA SEED TESTING. 5

that the “hump” lies generally near the middle of the concave side.

The seed gradually loses its lustre with age and becomes dull
brown or quite black, the intensity of the c0101 being a fair indication
of the age. This loss of color sometimes depends upon the ripeness
of the seed before harvesting, the over-ripe seeds showing more or
less of a brownish tinge, although the vitality is not impaired. In
selecting stock it is generally safe to follow the rule that all dead seed
are brown, though all brown seed are not necessarily dead. Imma-
ture seed, on the other hand, are of a livid pea green color and are
invariably dead or possess low vitality. If present in large quantity
they may change the whole appearance of the sample, which should
be rejected. Like other seeds, alfalfa seed sometimes become musty
from sweating or heating after harvesting and then have the odor
characteristic of such seeds. Aside from the danger of introducing
various fungus and bacterial pests into the crop, the vitality of such
seeds is markedly lowered.

Good, fresh alfalfa seed should weigh 60 pounds to the bushel.

It is worthy of note that the word “purity” as used by the seeds-
man and by writers on seed selection denotes simply freedom from im-
purities and is not used in the sense of the term “pure-bred” as used
by stockmen. Unfortunately, seed selection in the instance of alfalfa
has not yet been carried to that point where we can speak of “pure-
bred” seed in the same way.

The quantity of any seed which is necessary to be sown to the
acre depends obviously upon several factors, the principal of which
are the number of plants desired upon the land and the number which
will germinate in a given sample. In the’ first place, alfalfa plants
should be rather thickly set. Allowing one plant to every six square
inches of surface, there would thus be 174,240 plants upon an acre.
A sufficient quantity of seed must be sown to supply this number,
after allowing for all that donot germinate and for those which are
destroyed by insects, animals and other means. Estimating the num-
ber which will be sown in 2o pounds per acre by actual count of sev-
eral ounce samples, the average is 2,200,000 seed. This number will
allow about twelve seed to fall upon every 6-inch square of ground in
one acre. This is apparently greatly in excess of the actual need..
Now these figures are intended t0 show solely that the purer the seed
and the higher the germinating power, the smaller the quantity nec-
essary per acre will be. If a sample of seed should show a high rate
of impurities or of dead seed, just so much more per acre will be re-
quired to make up the deficiency. It will thus at once appear that
low-priced seed are never really cheap since the lower cost price is due
wholly to the quality 0f the seed and perhaps t0 adulteration or to the
admixture of inert matter for the purpose of weighting. Neverthe-
less, seedsmen have repeatedly stated to the writer that they are
obliged to keep a stock of inferior seed on hand because many farmers
demand a lower and cheaper grade. In no other pursuit will the
maxim, the best is the cheapest, be found so applicable as in agri-
culture. Many of the failures which have discouraged farmers even

6 TEXAS AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATIONS

in planting alfalfa are traceable solely to the mistaken idea that a low-
er grade Will do. Demand the best and freshest seed and sow prop-
erly.

Doubtless many planters will in the future begin to grow and
plant seed which they have raised. If this becomes the case, every
precaution must be observed that the quality of the seed be not im-
paired by mixing with other and inferior kinds and by becoming con-
taminated with undesirable weed seeds.

Mflflwd 0f Examining Having once learned to know a good sample as

f0!‘ Purity. to freshness and comparative freedom from
weed seeds, the planter should further acquaint himself with methods
of close inspection. These are exceedingly simple and can be applied
by the veriest tyro-at home, in the kitchen or in the barn. Secure
a sample as far as possible from several parts of the pile of seeds
to be inspected. Altogether, a good handful will do. Mix these
thoroughly and then, if a considerable degree of accuracy is desired,
Weigh out one-sixth of an ounce of this mixture. No seedsman will
object to the loss of such a small quantity. The seed are now spread
out upon a sheet of white paper and with a case knife are separated
into piles containing respectively all the foreign seeds, the good seeds
and any sand or other inert matter that may be present. If a small hand
lens or reading glass be at hand, so much the better, but is not
necessary, provided the operator has fairly good eyes. In cases
where seed of dodder are suspected the use of a hand lens is advised
since these seed are very small and might otherwise escape detection.
The percentage of impurities in the sample may be approximately es-
timated by the size of the various piles thus sorted out. In almost
all cases a larger or smaller amount of trash consisting of broken
stems, bits of dirt or sand will be found. This is unavoidable toa
great extent, since the size and weight of the particles are about the
same as those of the alfalfa seeds and so they pass through the sieves
and are not blown out in the fans.

Weed 5418415 Ollell F0llfld Of far greater importance is the number and

lfl Alffllffl- character of the weed seeds found. As will
appear in the subjoined tables, this number varies, in the samples
which have been examined at the Station, from one or two in the one-
sixth ounce to fifty or even more. Any plant may becomea Weed
pest if it grows where it is not wanted, but all weed pests are not
equally tuidesirable. Four or five seeds of dodder or of Russian
thistle would be far more undesirable than an equal number of seeds
say, of rib-grass or of foxtail and one or two of Iohnson grass or
tumble-Weed would soon infect a Whole field. Hence, the farmer
should learn to detect the nature of the weed seeds found. The
writer has before him a letter from a farmer in one of the northern
counties of the state, in which he writes, concerning Russian thistle,
which he found in his alfalfa: “I only saw a few plants in my alfalfa
the first season, perhaps a dozen or two. I could have killed them
out very easily then, but now (this season) there seems to be hun-
dreds of them, It is impossible to exterminate them, for the Weed

ALFALFA snap TESTING. 7

has matured and has_been broken up by the stock running on the
pasture. * d‘ * I only sowed a small patch, an acre and a half, and
think it best to plow up the whole thing. Then next spring I can
cultivate closely and destroy all weeds. I see that they have already
blo» n out onto the adjacent land. I would not have had these
thistles on my farm for a hundred dollars.” The writer also gives
the source from which he derived his seed, but previous to the re-
ceipt of this letter, seeds of Russian thistle had been found by the
writer in alfalfa which lmd been upon the markets of the state. The
dealer promptly withdrew the seed when aware of the circumstances.
Sporadic cases of infection by Russian thistle have been reported
from widely different sections and may perhaps all be traceable to
seed introduced in alfalfa. What is true in this case of Russian
thistle may also be true of tumble-weed and Iohnson grass. For the
benefit of those unfamiliar with the appearance of the seeds usually
found in alfalfa, and which are of a highly noxious character, the fol-
lowing brief description, with figures, is given.

Russian Thistle. (Scolsola Kali Tragus L.) Seed (fruit) top-shaped, small,

(Plate I.) about one-eighth inch long; depressed at top; skin
rupturing around the middle or irregularly; embryo coiled within the
skin in a spiral. The figures give views of the closed “fruit,” a par-
tially opened one showing the spiral embryo, and two side views of
the embryo with part of the outer covering still attached. At the
sides are smaller figures giving natural sizes of the seeds.

Rib (Plantago Zanceolata.) This is one of the weed seeds al-
Grass. most universally found in alfalfa grown in northern and
western states. Of itself, this weed is not undesirable, since stock of
all kinds will eat it. In alfalfa, however, it becomes a pest and soon
seeds itself over the whole field. Seeds brown, sometimes shining,
and longer than broad, flattened on one side, which has a peculiar
groove containing a circular or elliptical pit. These characters are so
prominent as to make the seed readily identified.

Tumble= (Amaranthus graecizans.) The seed of this plant are also
Weed exceedingly common in alfalfa from northern and western
states. The weed is so widely known and its vile character so obvi-
ous as to make warnings against it superfluous. The seeds are mi-
nute, about one-twelfth to one sixteenth inch broad. black with high
lustre (shining), almost circular in outline. They are scarcely to be
distinguished from seeds of other plants of the same family, such as
careless weed, pigweed, rough pigweed, etc.

Careless (Amaranthus hybridus.) Seeds very similar to the fore-

Weed. going but slightly larger and often not so lustrous. The
seeds of the various members of this family are sometimes so abund-
ant in alfalfa that the whole is distinctly colored by them. All are
easily detected. I

Dodder (Cuscuta Epithymztm, Cusczata arvenisis) There is no
more serious pest appearing in alfalfa fields than dodder. The seeds

TEXAS AGRICULTURAL I<I)'.PPIRII\I}CN'I‘ STATIONS

 

CURLED DOCK
RuMER CRlSPUS

 

YELLOW FOXTAIL
CHAETOCHLOA GLAUCA

      

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GREEN FOXTAIL.
CHAETOCHLOA VIRIDLS

I The small drawing represents natural size of the seed, while the
larger is magnified fifteen diameters.

ALFALFA SEED TESTING 9

are extremely small and usually escape detection, often appearing
like minute grains of sand. When young and fresh, they are golden
yellow, roundish or slightly granular, sometimes indented on one side,
from one-twentieth to one-twenty-fourth of an inch in size. The
color graduates into brown in old seed.

Green (Setaria viridas.) The seeds of this grass are also some=
FOXt8il- times very abundant in alfalfa, They are about one-
twelfth inch long. bi-convex, oval, blunt at ends. The color is usu-
“ally light green, when the glumes or “chaff” is absent, when these
are present the color is light gray. On the convex side, the grain is
minutely cross-striated. See Plate II.

Yellow (Setaria glauca.) These seeds are larger than the pre-
Foxtail. ceding but otherwise closely resemble them. They are
roughly marked on the surface with irregular cross striations. Plate
II.

Curled (Rumex crispus.) Given as an example of docks, which

DOCk. are commonly present in clover and alfalfa. Seeds
are triangular i11 outline, reddish-brown, about one-tenth inch
long. When once introduced into alfalfa itiis very hard to extermi-
nate this weed. The Writer has seen one patch of about two acres of
alfalfa which had been completely taken by this weed and which had
to be repeatedly ploughed and hoed in order to get rid of the pest.
All these plants came from one small patch of weeds which had found
lodging in the field. Plate II.

Besides the seeds here described and figured, many others are
met with to. a greater or less extent in '~inspectin“g samples of alfalfa
seed. Many samples show a number of different kinds of sunflower
seeds or seeds of members of that family. Any weed that is abund-
ant in the place where the alfalfa seed are grown may mingle its seed
with the latter and hence weeds that are strange and unknown in a
given locality may become rapidly dispersed and because of their un-
familiar aspect may escape observation until they have become a pest.
It is often quite easy for the expert to determine accurately just
where any sample of alfalfa or other seed was grown by observing the
particular weed seeds it contains. Thus, the seeds of Careless Weed
and Pig Weed are very characteristic of American grown alfalfa and
clover, so that the European can at once distinguish these seeds from
the home grown. This fact may be of importance in checking the
source given by the seedsman, though this is usually accurately
stated. Very many farmers in America are now planting Turke-
stan and German alfalfa and most of those seeds are quite foul
with weed seeds. In this way many new and vile weeds may be in-
troduced from Europe and Asia and may become the source of great
annoyance,

Seeds SOmeIimeS Used Some of the other members of the alfalfa and
as Adulterants. allied families have seeds very similar to those
of the alfalfa. In some cases these are used as adulterants, Since

IO TEXAS AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATIONS.

they are often cheaper than alfalfa and clover. Of these, Bur Clover,
(Medicago Denticulata), Sweet Melilot, white, (Melilotus Alba) and
Sweet Melilot, yellow, (Melilotus Indica) sometimes occur to a greater
or less extent, but chiefly the first. The plates show figures of these
seeds,

Bur Clover. (Medieago denticulata.) As will appear from a glance at
the plate, the seeds of this plant are considerably larger than those of
alfalfa, more regular in outline, and have a slightly different shape.
They are also of a more brownish yellow and do not show the pleasant

olive green of the latter. The weed is annual and is killed by the .

heat of the long summers of Texas and is also very sensitive to cold,
showing black in the cold snaps in the winter. At College Station
bur clover was killed almost to the ground during the winter of I904-
o5 by a temperature of 2o deg. F. but came up again. It does not
possess the food value of alfalfa and must be considered an undesira-
ble weed when present in a field of the latter.

Sweet (Melilotus alba and Indica.) XVhite and yellow sweet
Clflver. clover. These seeds are rarely found in alfalfa, yet some-
times are present in large quantity as is shown by the fact that sever-
al farmers have sent the plants to the experiment station to enquire
whether they were alfalfa or not, and stating that the weeds were
abundant in the field lately sown to alfalfa. The seeds of these plants
have the characteristic sweet odor of the plants which bear them and
when a sample of alfalfa contains them to any large extent they may
be detected by the odor, This fact renders them unsuitable for use
as adulterants. In appearance they are remarkably like alfalfa and
are sometimes very difiicult of detection even by the expert. Neither
of the plants has the food value of alfalfa or clover.

SAMPLES TESTED FOR PURITY.

During I905 samples of alfalfa were procured from all the whole-
sale seed houses doing business in the state and were tested in
this laboratory. This line of work is new ' to the people
of Texas and many do not yet appreciate its value, but in the
main the seedsmen have been very ready to have their
seed inspected and are anxious to place only pure goods upon the
market. In all, 32 samples have been received and tested. A record
of each sample is kept, giving name of seedsman, origin of seed, price
per pound and, when possible, year of growth. It is hoped that
many other merchants as well as prospective planters will become in-
terested. in the work and will forward samples. A tabulated state-
ment of the purity tests follows. The names of seedsmen are with-
held in this list, since in the few cases of high percentages of impuri-
ties in the seed, the handler was not to blame and an injustice might
be done if the names were published. No case of willful adulteration
has as yet been observed .-

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WEED SEEDS FOUND IN ALFALFA SEED.

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TABLE I.

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, 16; Tear Thumh-Polygonum Sagitatum, 4.

 

f undetermined grass, 1 Dock, 2 Sunflowers, Green Foxtail and 2 unknown seeds

   

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5 grms
11101
ined. T Whole sample was found to contain besides above, 1 spec
** 31. Also White H0reh0und—Manubium Vulgare, 1

   

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2Turke5tan..........
3Turke$tan..........
4Ariz0na............
5Utah...............
6Germany........ ..
*7Texa5..............
QGermany-u
gKansasnn...
]()Texas..............
11 NewMexlco----
12Utah...............
16coloradg......,....
T|7 Turkestan----

19 SouthTexas----
20TeXa5...........
glTexasuu. 
22']'exa§..............
23Texa§..............
24TeXa$..............
 . .
27Texa5......
**31Utah......
* Two samples exam
IByweight.

12 TEXAS AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATIONS

It will be seen from the table that no less than 3o different weed
Seeds were found in the samples examined,of course not all 0f them in
the same sample. Some weed seeds were far more abundant than
others, and some samples are very much fouler than others.
Four of the samples showed no weed seeds in the portion
drawn, though if a whole pound had been examined it is probable
that some foreign seed would have been found. On the other hand,
Nos. 8, 19, 25, 29, 3o and 31 contained more than fifty such seeds in
five grams, or one-sixth ounce. No. 8, a seed imported from Ger-
many was very foul, showing 52 weed seeds to the sample, consisting
of nine sorts which were determined and three which were not. Mul-
tiply this number by six and the result by 320, the number of ounces
of alfalfa usually sown t0 the acre and the product will be 100,000 in
round numbers; quite a respectable patch of weeds for each acre. It
wlll also be observed that occasionally a very serious pest will find its
way into a lot of seed and may thus be distributed t0 localities in
which it was heretofore unknown. A good example will be found in
N0. 27 where one seed of Deadly Hemlock appeared.

Many comparatively harmless weeds are widely distributed and
their seeds are 0f common occurrence. Such are rib-grass and the
green and yellow foxtails. It is scarcely necessary to point out that a
large percentage of the seeds of such weeds is greatly preferable t0
any per cent at all 0f noxious weeds such as Russian Thistle and Tum-
ble Weed.

Table II shows the relative frequency of the more important
weed seeds found in the samples examined.

TABLE II.—Of the Samples Examined.
41 per cent had Rib-Grass 47 per cent had Green Foxtail

36 “ Red Clover 12.5 a “ Yellow Foxtail
6 “ Dodder 16 “ Careless Weed
6 “ Tumble Weed 16 " Docks.

Much 0f the impurities found in seed consists of sand and broken
seeds and very often there is a high rate 0f dead and immature seed.
Certain samples contained such a high percentage of trash and im-
mature seed as very materially t0 lower their value and to suggest
that cleaning of the seed had been entirely neglected. The per-
centage of sand, trash and broken seed, all included under the head-
ing, inert matter, was as follows:

TABLE III.
N0. Per Cent. No. Per Cent. N0. Per Cent. N0. Per Cent.
1 .00 9 .20 17 2.00 25 .05
2 .50 10 .18 18 6.60 26 .02
3 .50 11 .12 19 5.00 27 .031
4 .70 12 .25 2o 29.00 28 .01
5 .80 13 6.00 21 .22 29 .02
6 .40 14 1.60 22 .01 3o .13
7 1.00 15 5.oo 23 .02 31 .11
8 1.00 16 6.00 24 .01 32 .02

ALFALFA SEED TESTING 1 3

In this table the percentages in numbers 14, 15, 16, I7, 18, I9
and 2o include in addition to the above-mentioned materials designat-
ed “inert matter”, the amounts, by weight, of dead and immature
seeds. These samples contained so much of the latter that it was
thought best to reckon the amounts in along with the other waste ma-
terials. The actual percentages of sand and trash were about the
same in these samples as in the others.

II .——TESTING THE VITALITY.

The amount of seed usually recommended to be sown per acre is
so large that only when the seed are quite old and in consequence
have lost vitality, does the latter question become of importance.
In cases where the percentage of impurities is high and the vitality
of the seed low, it not unfrequently occurs th it even twenty pounds
to the acre will not be sufiicient to obtain a good stand, leaving out
of question the matter of the actual value, compared to the market
price, of such sample. As already pointed out, dead seed and those
of low vitality are usually quite discolored, being yellow, brown or
even quite black.

It is worthy of note, that in the warmer regions of the United
States, especially in Texas, weevils are very abundant and will quick-
ly destroy alfalfa as well as other seeds. The weevil eaten seeds are
sometimes difficult to detect, if freshly infected. Generally, however,

they will hang together in threads and so the extent to which the

seed have been damaged may be estimated. The seeds so eaten will,
of course, not germinate.

Mellwd 0f To test the vitality is a simple matter. A suf-
Home Testing Samples. ficient number of seeds is taken from the sample
which has just been tested for purity and these are planted and the
number germinating is counted. The seeds must not be selected, but
should be counted at random, so that a sample containing both good
and bad seeds in about the same proportion as they occur i11 the whole
will be obtained. To facilitate reckoning of percentages, the seeds
are counted out in hundreds, as many of these as is thought necessary
being taken. These are now placed in any suitable place for germi-
nation. A good and inexpensive apparatus for home testing may be
made from two dinner plates and a piece of clean blotting paper or
white cotton cloth for the bedding, which is first to be vvetted with
luke-warm water. Place the seeds upon this, fold over the loose end
of the blotting paper or cloth,put into one plate and cover the whole with
the other.- The apparatus should now be placed in a warm corner where
the temperature will be about that of the ordinary living room, and
left alone. At the end of the second day the plate may be examined
and, if necessary, the seeds again dampened. Germination begins
usually in three days; the seeds that have then sprouted are carefully
counted by lifting the young sprouts out, leaving the others for a clay
or two longer. In six days all will sprout that are living. The
count of the second lot, added to the first will give the percentage
germinating, directly, if one hundred seeds have been taken. For ex-

I4 TEXAS AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATIONS

ample, in testing the vitality of sample No. 1, it was found that 82
seeds had sprouted at the end of the third day, leaving 18 to be ac-
counted for. At the end of the sixth day ten more of these had
germinated, leaving 8 which were still hard, and which gave no sign
of life. The sum of the two counts gives 92, the percentage germa-
nating.

All such tests should be made at least in duplicate, since
some error of counting or of preparation may occur in the first and so
give misleading results. We have found that two tests will give very
satisfactory and even results. Some precautions of minor importance
must be observed. The plates, paper or cloth, and the water used in
making the tests should all be scrupulously clean, else various moulds
and mildews will make their appearance upon the seeds thus altering
very quickly the apparent value of the seed, since the latter will be
quickly killed by these pests. Quite frequently, when every precau-
tion possible has been taken with the apparatus, moulds will be found
on the germinating seeds, their spores having been on the seeds them-
selves. This occurs so rarely that it is not a source of serious error,
however, and a second test will correct the trouble. Nevertheless,
we may learn from this that cleanliness is of great importance in
handling seed, because injurious fungus pests may be introduced if
proper precautions are not taken, which may be the source of great
loss. We need only to refer to the danger incurred by planting
smut-infected oats or corn to emphasize this point.

In a laboratory especially fitted up for the purpose, all these tests
may be very accurately and expeditiously made; at home anyone
may secure quite accurate results with very little care, by following
the directions given.

Samples Tested At the Experiment Station, the tests for purity and
f0!‘ Vitality vitality are made as soon after receipt of the sample
as is possible and the results are tabulated and kept for record.
Table IY gives the vitality, in percentages, of the seeds examined,
two tests being averaged.

TABLE IV—VI’I\ALITY OF ALFALFA SPEED.
No. Per Cent. No. Per Cent. No. Per Cent. No. Per Cent.

1 8o. 9 7o.5 17 87.5 25 82.5
2 90.5 1o 78.5 18 92. 26 91.
3 89.5 11 49.5 19 81. 27 93.
4 89. 12 79. 2o 8o. 28 96.5
5 74. 13 95. 21 29.5 29 89.
6 87.5 14 67. 22 80.5 3o 90.5
7 94.5 I5 85-5 23 94- 31 94-5
8 78. 16 88.5 24 89.5 32 92.5

From these figures it will Lbe seen that the vitality or germinat-
ing power of the 32 samples varies between 49.5 and 96.5 per cent,
the greater number having vitality of more than 8o per cent. These
latter accord very well with germination standards adopted for other
seeds by seedsmen. a

ALFALFA SEED TESTING 1,5

If, now, the latter percentages be combined with the purity, the
actual value of the seed may be derived from the market price. Thus,
in number 2o, the market price of which was 14 cents per pound, the
percentage of pure seed of apparently good vitality, was 71; these
seed. when tested, however, showed a germination of only 8o per
cent, 14x7Ix8o—7.85 cents, or almost 8 cents per pound for the ac-
tual value. The actual value of the various samples is given in
the following table, only in percentages, since in many cases the mar-
ket price was not known to the writer. I

TABLE V-Acrnar. VALUES OF SEED IN PERCENTAGES.
No. Per Cent. N0. Per Cent. No. Per Cent. No. Per Cent.

1 8o. 9 7o. 17 85 75 25 82.5
2 9o. 1o — 18 85.8 26 91.

3 88.6 11 39.6 19 81.75 27 93.

4 88.1 12 79. 2o 56.6 28 96.

5 73.2 13 89. 21 89. 29 89.8
6 86.8 14 65.25 22 80.5 3o 9o.3
7 93-5 I5 31-2 23 94- 31 94-25
8 74.9 16 85.6 24 89.25 32 92.4

The writer has been informed by some seedsmen that they are
obliged to handle inferior grades of seeds to supply the demands of
farmers who wish them. Let us reason a little about this. Suppose
you buy a seed costing 16 cents a pound and sow fifteen pounds to the
acre. If it has the quality indicated in No. 31 of the last table, the
cost per acre will be $2.40 of which you may reasonably look to get
$2.30 worth to germinate, in which case you undoubtedly get a good
stand. Now suppose you prefer a cheaper grade and buy No. 11,
costing, say, 12 cents a pound, or $1.80 an acre. From this you can
hope to get only 72 cents back in germinated seeds, or a very poor
stand. I11 order to get the same number of plants to the acre from
the latter seed as trom the former you will have to sow about three
and one-half times as many seed to the acre of the poorer quality,
costing about $6.25, of which $2.50 worth will never come up. In
short, if you sow a sixty per cent seed, you can at most hope to get
only a sixty per cent stand and a sixty per cent crop, while the labor
required to produce it will be the same as if good seed had been
sown. In reality, however, you can never get out of poor seed a crop
which will correspond in any way to the relative value of the seed, but
it will be still poorer. The best is here the cheapest.

Free Testing In order to be of service to the seed sower as
by Expefimefll 516N300 well as to the seed seller, the‘ Experiment
Station of the Agricultural and Mechanical College will examine and
test for purity and vitality, free of charge, all seeds sent. Such sam-
ples should fairly represent the entire lot, being taken from different
parts of the pile and should amount to an ounce or more. Name of
sender, price per pound, date and place of growth, should always ac-
company the samples, in order to make’ the records as complete as
possible. ‘ ‘