TESTING OF SEEDS
A VALUABLE SUGGESTION. The following communication from , Mr F. S. Pope, secretary of the Department of Agriculture, was read at the meeting of the Masterton A... and P. Association on Saturday last: — 'As-yiom- Association, i's aware, at nearly all of the autumn and winter A. and P. shows there are numerous classes for grass and clover seeds, the judging of which is carried out on the day of the show by judges appointed by the Associations. In the circumstances it -.k of course quite im-'. possible for anything but a superficial and often hurried examination, of tiie seed to be made. The Department is therefore of opinion that it would be in the best interests of. the Dominion if a more satisfactory method of determining the value of such seeds could bo introduced. With this end in view, I am directed by the Hon Minister of Agriculture to state that, should your Association so desire, the Department would be willing to undertake the testing of .all such seeds exhibited at your show. An accurate analysis of each sample could then be supplied to the judges, and the information thus obtained would materially assist in the placing of exhibits. Such analysis could, if thought advisable, remain attached to their respective exhibits, and in this way the relative values would be clearly indicated. Each, analysis would give the fallowing particulars :—(1) Purity, and the names of all impurities; (2) germination and germination energy; (3) real value, equalling actual percentage of seed true to name and capable of germination ; (4) weight of 1000 seeds; (5) the number of seeds per pound; and (6) the number of living seeds true to name per pound. In order to practically apply the 6chemo it would of course be necessary for exhibits to be in the hands of the secretaries of the association* in time to permit samples being taken and analysis made—say six weeks before judging day, but T see no reason why this should not be done. As you are aware, exhibits of dairy produce have now to reach the various .shows some considerable time before the advertised dates of opening, and no difficulty is experienced. The adoption of the system would, it is considered, also materially help the endeavours that are being made to have all grass and clover seeds sold in Uie Dominion on a guarantee basis."
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Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 10710, 14 October 1912, Page 5
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397TESTING OF SEEDS Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 10710, 14 October 1912, Page 5
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