Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
rubbed through a sieve with 0.6 cm (0.25 in) holes and placed in the germination containers without pack-
ing. At least 1.3 cm (0.5 in) of moistened sand or soil should be placed in the bottom of each container.
Damp blotters placed over the sand or soil boxes will help maintain the initial moisture supply of the
substrata until the seedlings emerge. Do not overwater during the test. For species such as watermelon,
muskmelon, cucumber, pumpkin, squash, and spinach, moisture conditions slightly on the dry side should
be used. In such tests, the moistened substratum should be pressed against a dry absorbent surface such as
a dry paper towel or blotter to remove excess water.
Figure 5.1. Seed counting and spacing devices. Upper left: A counting board, with the counted, spaced seed
on the upper right. Middle left: A rectangular vacuum head counter for spacing seeds in four rows of 25 seeds,
with the counted and spaced seed on the middle right. Lower left: A square vacuum head counter for spacing
seeds uniformly in 10 rows of 10 seeds each, with the counted, spaced seed on the lower right.
