iH:iSi;-;iifii}if;;r PLEASE HANDLE WITH CARE University of Connecticut Libraries 1153 D1554757 GAYLORD RG Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2011 with funding from LYRASIS members and Sloan Foundation http://www.archive.org/details/qualityofvegetab1928stod Bulletin 293 February, 1928 Gltixmtctxnxt Agrimltural ^xpttvmtit ^tatUm (lohlti ■ 43 The Quality of Vegetable Seed Bought by Market Gardeners in Connecticut . in 1927 E. M. STODDARD AND A. D. McDONNELL The Bulletins of this Station are mailed free to citizens of Connecticut who apply for them, and to others as far as the editions permit. CONNECTICUT AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION OFFICERS AND STAFF BOARD OF CONTROL His Excellency, John H. Trumbull, ex-officio, President Charles R. Treat, Vice-President Orange George A. Hopson, Secretary .....; Mt. Carmel Wm. L. Slate, Director and Treasurer New Haven Joseph W. Alsop Avon Elijah Rogers Southington Edward C. Schneider Middletown Francis F. Lincoln Cheshire STAFF. E. H. Jenkins, Ph.D., Director Emeritus. Wm. L. Slate, B.Sc., Director and Treasurer. Miss L. M. Brautlecht, Bookkeeper and Librarian. Miss J. V. Berger, Stenographer and Bookkeeper. Mrs. R. a. Hunter, Secretary. G. E. Graham, In charge of Buildings and Grounds. E. M. Bailev, Ph.D., Chemist in Charge. C. E. Shepard Owen L. Nolan Harry J. Fisher, A. B. W. T. Mathis DAvro C. Walden, B. S. Frank C. Sheldon, Laboratory Assistant. V. L. Churchill, Sampling Agent. ; Miss Mabel Bacon, Secretary. T. B. Osborne, Ph.D., Chemist in Charge. H. B. Vickery, Ph.D., Biochemist. Miss Helen C. Cannon, B.S.. Dietitian. G. P. Clinton, Sc. D., Botanist in Charge. E. M. Stoddard, B.S., Pomologist. Miss Florence A. McCormick, Ph.D., Pathologist. George Zundel, M.S., Assistant in Botany. A. D. McDonnell. General Assistant. Mrs. W. W. Kelsey, Secretary. W. E. Britton, Ph.D., Entomologist in Charge; Slate Enlomologisl. B. H. Walden. B.Agr. M. P. Zappe, B.S. Philip Garman, Ph.D. Roger B. Friend, Ph.D. John T. Ashworth, Deputy in Charge of Gipsy Moth Work. R. C. Botsford. Deputy in Charge of Mosquito Elimination. J. P. Johnson, B.S.. Deputy in Charge of Asiatic and Japanese Beetle Quarantine. Miss Grace A. Foote, B.A., Secretary, Administration. Chemistry: Analytical Laboratory. Biochemical Laboratory. Botany. Entomology. Assistant Chemists. Assistant Entomologists. Forestry. Plant Breeding. Soil Research. Tobacco Sub-station at Windsor. Walter O. Filley. Forester in Charge. H. W. HicocK, M.F., Assistant Forester. J. E. Riley, Jr., M.F., In Charge of Blister Rust Control. H. J. LuTZ, M.F., Assistant Forester. Miss Pauline A. Merchant. Secretary. Donald F. Jones, S.D., Geneticist in Charge. W. R. Singleton. S.M.. Assistant Geneticist. H. R. Murray, B.S., Graduate Assistant. Miss Evelyn Grey, Secretary. M. F. Morgan, M.S., Investigator. H. G. M. Jacobson, M.S., Assistant. Paul J. Anderson, Ph.D., Pathologist in Charge. N. T. Nelson, Ph.D., Assistant Physiologist. T. R. SwANBACK, B.S., Scientific Assistant. THE QUALITY OF VEGETABLE SEED BOUGHT BY MARKET GARPENERS IN CONNECTICUT IN 1927 By E. M. Stoddard and A. D. McDonnell For many years this Station has examined seed for germina- tion and purity. The samples were usually sent in voluntarily by growers and dealers, but this method of obtaining material did not supply sufficient number or distribution of samples to furnish good information on the quality of seed sold in the state. More recently the Sampling Agent has collected vegetable seed from va- rious sources in sufficient quantity to warrant publication of the results as an index to the quality of such seed as sold in Connecti- cut. In Bulletin 283 (1927) the data on two years' collections of packet seed were given, and at this time we present the data on vegetable seed sold in bulk to market gardeners throughout the State. These samples were obtained from market gardeners and represented seed stocks they had purchased for planting in 1927. The collection was started late and not as many samples could be obtained as we had hoped, but a fairly well distributed lot of 172 samples was collected, which are listed in Table I. This seed is not as good as one might suppose it would be, but compares favorably with similar seed sold in other states, and is for the most part an improvement on the packet seed previously reported in Bulletin 283. The tests made were for germination only, there being no con- sideration given to other features relative to the value of the sample. The standard methods of procedure were followed in making the tests. In brief, 200 seeds were selected from each sample and put in a standard germinating chamber in duplicate lots of 100 seeds each, the smaller seeds being put between blotting paper and the larger seeds, such as corn, peas and beans between paper towels. We find by comparative tests that the paper towels give as good results as cloths and do away with the inconvenience of washing and sterilizing the cloths. The substratum was moistened as neces- sary with tap water. Each sample was kept in the germinating chamber for the standard number of days required for such seeds, and if the germination of the duplicate samples varied more than 10% a retest was made and the resulting percentages used. l8o CONNECTICUT EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 293 Table I. Germination Tests of Bulk Vegetable Seed, 1927. HZ 33" 3317 3315 3316 3313 3310 3302 3305 3304 3309 3303 3308 3314 3306 3307 3312 3281 3278 3276 3282 3468 3286 3277 3283 3284 3279 3280 3275 3268 3270 3269 3267 3272 3266 3274 3271 3273 3291 3297 3292 Variety of Seed Beans Black Valentine Black Valentine Bountiful Cracker Jack Davis White Kidney Wax. . Dwarf Wonder of France . . . Fordhook Bush Lima Golden Cluster Wax Green Pod Long Hodson's Wax Round Pod Kidney Stringless Refugee Stringless Refugee White Kid Wax Yellow Bountiful Round Pod Kidney Wax . . . Beets Coal Black Crosby's Egyptian Detroit Dark Red . Detroit Dark Red Detroit Dark Red Detroit Dark Red Early Wonder Early Wonder Early Wonder Egyptian Mangel, Mammoth Long Red WoodrufiF's Early Wonder . . Cabbage Copenhagen Market Copenhagen Market Danish Round Head Early Jersey Wakefield E^rly Jersey Wakefield Golden Acre Golden Acre Penn. State Bullhead Perfection Savoy Carrot Bagley Bagley Chantenay 97-5 95-5 *83 96 97 99 96.5 *82.5 98 94 98 93 89-5 86 94 88.5 82 *77-5 88.5 90 *74-5 *43-5 *37-5 *73 *73 85 *68 95 88.5 *84 *7i 89 86.5 895 *56.5 72 Grower E. B. Clark Seed Co., Milford, Ct. Comstock Ferre Co., Wethersfield, Ct. Frank S. Piatt Co., New Haven, Ct. Frank S. Piatt Co., New Haven, Ct. S. D. Woodruff & Sons, Orange, Ct. J. Breck Seed Co., Boston, Mass. S. D. Woodruff & Sons, Orange, Ct. Jos. Harris Seed Co., Coldwater, N. Y. E. B. Clark Seed Co., Milford, Ct. Frank S. Piatt Co., New Haven, Ct. S. D. Woodruff & Sons, Orange, Ct. Jos. Harris Seed Co., Coldwater, N. Y. F. H. Woodruff & Sons, Milford Ct. Jos. Harris Seed Co., Coldwater, N. Y. Frances Stokes & Co., Philadelphia, Pa. S. D. Woodruff & Sons, Orange, Ct. Francis Brill & Co., Hempsted, N. Y. Jos. Harris Seed Co., Coldwater, N. Y. E. B. Clark Seed Co., Milford, Ct. F, H. Woodruff & Sons, Milford, Ct. F. H. Woodruff & Sons, Milford, Ct. Frank. S. Piatt Co., New Haven, Ct. J. W. Simon & Son, Philadelphia, Pa. E. B. Clark Seed Co., Milford, Ct. S. D. Woodruff & Sons, Orange, Ct. David L. Clark & Son, Milford, Ct. Frances Stokes & Co., Philadelphia, Pa. F. H. Woodruff & Sons, Milford, Ct. Jos. Harris Seed Co., Coldwater, N. Y. Alex. Forbes & Co., Newark, N. J. C. P. Strandholm, Copenhagen, Denmark Frances Stokes & Co., Philadelphia, Pa. Jos. Harris Seed Co., Coldwater, N. Y. Frank. S. Piatt Co., New Haven, Ct. Comstock Ferre Co., Wethersfield, Ct. Frances Stokes & Co., Philadelphia, Pa. Cadwell & Jones, Hartford, Ct. F. H. Woodruff & Sons, Milford, Ct. E. B. Clark Seed Co., Milford, Ct. Frank S. Piatt Co., New Haven, Ct. * Below standard. QUALITY OF VEGETABLE SEED i8i Table I. Germination Tests of Bulk Vegetable Seed, 1927. — Continued. Variety of Seed "g Grower 3299 3300 3301 3295 3288 3290 3292 3298 3294 3287 3296 3289 3408 3407 3404 3406 340s 3402 3403 3359 3368 3354 3369 3466 3358 3365 3353 3364 3362 3363 3370 3360 3361 3371 3357 3465 3356 3355 3320 3321 Carrot (Continued) Chantenay Chantenay Chantenay Danvers Danver's Half Long Danver's Half Long Danver's Half Long Danver's Half Long Hutchingson Oxheart Pride of Denmark Rubicon Celery Early Blanching French Success Golden Plume or Wonderful Golden Self Blanching Newark Market Wonderful Woodruff's Wonderful Com (Sweet) Alfa Sweet Columbia Columbia Sweet Columbia White Country Gentleman Cromer's Special Sweet Early Bantam Sweet Extra Early Dighton Sweet . Giant Bantam Sweet Golden Bantam Golden Bantam Sweet Golden Early Market Howling Mob Howling Mob Sweet Long Island Beauty Malcom Sweet Stowell's Evergreen Whipple's Whipple's Sweet Cucixmber Early Fortune . " Davis Perfect *35-5 67 60 61.5 635 *56.5 67 655 89 *42 *59 60.5 87.5 80 *70 *29 *75-5 *58 *64 90 95-5 91 94-5 *8o *88.5 *88.5 97 93 92.5 95-5 96 92 94 *62.5 95 *62 98.5 99-5 *6o.5 E. B. Clark Seed Co, Milford, Ct. E. B. Clark Seed Co, Milford, Ct. Jos. Harris Seed Co., Coldwater, N. Y. Frances Stokes Co., Philadelphia, Pa. J. W. Simon & Son, Philadelphia, Pa. Cadwell & Jones, Hartford, Ct. C. J. Hart Seed Co., Wethersfield, Ct. F. W. Eberle Seed Co, Albany, N. Y. Jos. Harris Seed Co., Coldwater, N. Y. Comstock Ferre Co., Wethersfield, Ct. Jos. Harris Seed Co., Coldwater, N. Y. F. W. Eberle Seed Co., Albany, N. Y. E. B. Clark Seed Co., Milford, Ct. J. W. Simon & Son, Philadelphia, Pa. Jos. Harris Seed Co., Coldwater, N. Y. Jos. Harris Seed Co., Coldwater, N. Y. Alex. Forbes & Co., Newark, N. J. F. H. Woodruff & Sons, Milford, Ct. F. H. Woodruff & Sons, Milford, Ct. Jos. Harris Seed Co., Coldwater, N. Y. S. D. Woodruff & Sons, Orange, Ct. Comstock Ferre Co., Wethersfield, Ct. S. D. Woodruff & Sons, Orange, Ct. Comstock Ferre Co., Wethersfield, Ct. David L. Clark & Son, Milford, Ct. Frank S. Piatt & Co., New Haven, Ct. S. D. Woodruff & Sons, Orange, Ct. Cadwell & Jones, Hartford, Ct. Comstock Ferre & Co., Wethersfi'eld, Ct. Cadwell & Jones, Hartford, Ct. Gill Bros. Seed Co., Portland, Ore. Frank S. Piatt Co., New Haven, Ct. Cadwell & Jones, Hartford, Ct. David L. Clark & Son, Milford, Ct. David L. Clark & Son, Milford, Ct. Comstock Ferre & Co., Wethersfield, Ct. Frank S. Piatt Co., New Haven, Ct. David L. Clark & Son, Milford, Ct. F. C. Stokes Seed Co., Philadelphia, Pa. Jos. Harris Seed Co., Coldwater, N. Y. *Below standard. 1 82 CONNECTICUT EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 293 Table I. Germination Tests of Bulk Vegetable Seed, 1927. — Continued. HZ Variety of Seed Grower Cuciunber (Continued) Davis Perfect Davis Perfect White Spine Egg Plant Black Beauty Lettuce Big Boston Black Seeded Tennis Ball Black Seeded Tennis Ball Early May King Eberle Supreme Market Gardeners' Private Stock May King May King May King New York New York New York New York N. Y. or Iceberg Salamander Salamander Salamander Simon's Cabbage Head. . . Special Stock Supreme Unrivalled Unrivalled Wonderful Muskmelon Abbot's Pearl Pink Meat. Bender's Surprise Bender's Surprise Bussee Gem Cal. Cream Hearts of Gold Knight Lake Champion Osage Ticonderoga Yorko *55 *83 85-5 ?-5 99-5 *39-5 *88.5 98 93-5 *82.5 *89.5 *82 *8i 92.5 96 93-5 96.5 93-5 98 97 98 97 92 90 98.5 98 90 *57-5 97-5 94 *69 *70 *8o.5 97 *83.5 *48.5 *70 94-5 Comstock Ferre Co., Wethersfield, Ct. Jos. Harris Seed Co., Coldwater, N. Y. W. F. Cobb & Co., Franklin, Mass. Jos. Harris Seed Co., Coldwater, N.Y. Frank S. Piatt Co., New Haven, Ct. Frank 8. Piatt Co., New Haven, Ct. F. H. Woodruff & Sons, Milford, Ct. F. H. Woodruff & Sons, Milford, Ct. F. W. Eberle Seed Co., Albany, N. Y. J. W. Simon & Son, Philadelphia, Pa. F. W. Eberle Seed Co., Albany, N. Y. Jos. Harris Seed Co., Coldwater, N. Y. F. W. Eberle Seed Co., Albany, N. Y. Olds & Whipple, Hartford, Ct. Comstock Ferre & Co., Wethersfield, Ct. F. W. Eberle Seed Co., Albany, N. Y. Comstock Ferre & Co., Wethersfield, Ct. F. W. Eberle Seed Co., Albany, N. Y. F. W. Eberle Seed Co., Albany, N. Y. Alex. Forbes Seed Co., Newark, N. J. Comstock Ferre & Co., Wethersfield, Ct. J. W. Simon & Son, Philadelphia, Pa. F. H. Woodruff & Sons, Milford, Ct. F. W. Eberle Seed Co., Albany, N. Y. F. W. Eberle Seed Co., Albany, N. Y. Comstock Ferre & Co., Wethersfield, Ct. Jos. Harris Seed Co., Coldwater, N. Y. Ebbert Seed Co., Rocky Ford, Colo. Cadwell & Jones, Hartford, Ct. Frances C. Stokes & Co., Philadelphia, Pa. W. Atlee Burpee Co., Philadelphia, Pa. Henry Field Seed Co., Shenandoah, la. Frances C. Stokes & Co., Philadelphia, Pa. Frances C. Stokes & Co., Philadelphia, Pa. J. W. Simon & Son, Philadelphia, Pa. S. D. Woodruff & Sons, Orange, Ct. Unknown J. Breck Seed Co., Boston, Mass. *Below standard. CONNECTICUT AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION ERRATUM SLIP — BULLETIN 293 Attention is called to Test Number 8427 (p. 182) which should read "Burrell's Gem." This sample was not from stock purchased in 1927 and therefore should be disregsirded. QUALITY OF VEGETABLE SEED 183 Table I. Germination Tests of Bulk Vegetable Seed, 1927. — Continued. HZ 3416 3391 3464 !3394 3393 3456 3395 3396 3397 3398 3399 3413 3412 3414 3460 34" 3457 3342 3333 3338 3463 3335 3462 3334 3330 3337 3461 3336 3340 3343 3339 3400 3401 Variety of Seed "E Grower Onion Dan vers Parsnip Harris Model Harris Model Hollow Crown Woodruff's Rival Pea World's Record Pepper Bull Nose Golden Dawn Simon's World Beater Simon's Jersey Giant World Beater Radish Early Scarlet Early Scarlet Globe Giant Crimson Scarlet Globe Scarlet Globe Salsify Mammoth Sandwich Island. Spinach Bloomsdale Savoy Giant Thick Leaf Hot Weather Juliana King of Denmark King of Denmark Large Viroflay Long Season Long Standing Princess Juliana Princess Juliana Round Thick Leaf Viroflay Woodruff's Hot Weather . . . Squash Black Michigan Giant Summer Crookneck. . 92 *55 67 *47 65 Frances Stokes Seed Co., Philadelphia, Pa. Jos. Harris Seed Co., Coldwater, N. Y. Jos. Harris Seed Co., Coldwater, N. Y. Frank S. Piatt Co., New Haven, Ct. S. D. Woodruff & Sons, Orange, Ct. "80.5 Frank S. Piatt Co., New Haven, Ct. ♦64.5 Frank S. Piatt Co., New Haven, Ct. 83 Jos. Harris Seed Co., Coldwater, N. Y. 71.5 J. W. Simon & Son, Philadelphia, Pa. 78 J. W. Simon & Son, Philadelphia, Pa. 90 F. H. Woodruff & Sons, Milford, Ct. 93.5 E. B. Clark Seed Co., Milford, Ct. 93.5 Frank S. Piatt Co., New Haven, Ct. 85.5 Frances Stokes Co., Philadelphia, Pa. ♦56 S. D. Woodruff & Sons, Orange, Ct. *74 F. H. Woodruff & Sons, Milford, Ct. 48.5 Cadwell & Jones, Hartford, Ct. ♦50.5 E. B. Clark Seed Co., Milford, Ct. 86.5 E. B. Clark Seed Co., Milford, Ct. *5i F. H. Woodruff & Sons, Milford, Ct. *37 J- W. Simon & Co., Philadelphia, Pa. 69 Comstock Ferre Co., Wethersfield, Ct. *46.5 E. B. Clark Seed Co., Milford, Ct. *37 Comstock Ferre Co., Wethersfield, Ct. *49 F. W. Eberle Seed Co., Albany, N. Y. *55-5 W. F. Cobb & Co., Franklin, Mass. *6o Peter Henderson & Co., New York, N. Y. *57 Comstock Ferre Co., Wethersfield, Ct. ♦64.5 F. H. Woodruff & Sons, Milford, Ct. ♦58.5 S. D. Woodruff & Sons, Orange, Ct. *56.5 F. H. Woodruff & Sons, Milford, Ct. Unknown J.5 I F. H. Woodruff & Sons, Milford, Ct. *Below standard. 184 CONNECTICUT EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 293 Table I. Germination Tests of Bulk Vegetable Seed, 1927. — Concluded. si HZ Variety of Seed c g.E Grower • 3375 Tomato Bonny Best 91-5 92.5 *8i 94-5 96.5 92.5 94-5 94-5 86.5 93-5 91-5 89 96 *62.5 *8o.5 87 96.5 87 *78 *65 *39 Vaughan's Seed Store, New York, N. Y. Jos. Harris Seed Co., Coldwater, N. Y. Comstock Ferre Co., Wethersfield, Ct. Jos. Harris Seed Co., Coldwater, N. Y. Jos. Harris Seed Co., Coldwater, N. Y. Vaughan's Seed Store, New York, N. Y. Jos. Harris Seed Co., Coldwater, N. Y. 3383 3378 3379 3380 3381 3384 Canadian Earliana Earliana Earliana Earliana Earliana 3382 Early Prolific F. W. EberleSeed Co., Albany, N. Y. Comstock Ferre Co., Wethersfield, Ct. F. H. Woodruff & Sons, Milford, Ct. Vaughan's Seed Store, New York, N. Y. Jos. Harris Seed Co., Coldwater, N. Y. Frances C. Stokes & Co., Philadelphia, Pa. Jos. Harris Seed Co., Coldwater, N. Y. Thos. Griswold & Co., So. Wethersfield, Ct. Vaughan's Seed Store, New Yorjc, N. Y. Jos. Harris Seed Co., Coldwater, N. Y. Cadwell & Jones, Hartford, Ct. Comstock Ferre Co., Wethersfield, Ct. Comstock Ferre Co., Wethersfield, Ct. 3387 3388 3376 3377 3389 3386 3373 3374 3385 Greater Baltimore Greater Baltimore John Baer John Baer Marglobe Marvana Matchless . . . ; Matchless New Dwarf Stone 3390 3344 3345 Stone Tmnip Early White Milan Yellow Globe 3409 Watermelon Kleckly Sweet Frances C. Stokes & Co., Philadelphia, Pa. *Below standard. Germination Standards for Vegetable Seed. In the absence of official standards of germination for vegetable seeds we have adopted a table of standards (Table II). These standards were obtained by plotting a frequency curve of all the germination tests made of the several seeds in our laboratory and the published data of four other seed laboratories for the last twenty-three years (1905-1927 inclusive) and taking the classes included in the peak of the curve as a standard. No standard was adopted without data from at least 50 samples. After collecting much additional data we found it necessary to change slightly a few of the standards adopted in Bulletin 283 published by this Station in January, 1927. In view of the fact that the data used covered a long period of time and was taken from various parts of the country, we feel that the standards adopted are a fair measure of germination for good seed of the various kinds. The following graph of onion seed illustrates' the method used : QUALITY OF VEGETABLE SEED I8S i86 CONNECTICUT EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 293 Table II, Table of Germination Standards Adopted. Seed Germination Standard Beans 90 to 100% *Beet 80 Cabbage 85 Carrot 60 Celery 80 Corn (Sweet) 90 Cucumber 85 Lettuce 90 Muskmelon 85 Onion 85 Parsnip 60 Peas 90 Pepper 60 Radish 85 Spinach 65 Squash 85 Tomato 85 Turnip 90 Watermelon 80 95% 100% 75% 90% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 75% 100% 75% 100% 80% 100% 100% 100% 95% Number of Testa Used to Compute Standard 439 331 350 236 163 559 224 439 194 2245 154 519 116 478 311 89 288 177 59 * The germination of beet seed was determined by counts of the number of seed balls germinating and not number of sprouts. The Quality of the Seed Tested in 1927. Applying the standards as shown in Table II to the seed col- lected and tested in 1927 the following results are obtained: Table III. The Quality of the Seed Tested In 1927. Number Seed of Samples Beans 16 Beet. 12 Cabbage 9 Carrot 15 Celery 7 Com (Sweet) 19 Cucumber 5 Egg Plant I Lettuce 23 Muskmelon 11 Onion i Parsnip 4 Peas I Pepper 5 Radish 5 Salsify i Spinach 14 Squash 2 Tomato 18 Turnip 2 Watermelon i * No standard adopted. Per cent of Samples Exiualing or Exceeding the Standard 75-0 59-4 65.6 66.6 28.6 73-7 • 40.0 * 73-9 36.4 lOO.O 50.0 o lOO.O 60.0 41 14-3 o 834 o { University of Connecticut Libraries 39153028836670