conditions mentioned in Bulletin No. 22 of this Station, page

57.

EXAMINATION OF SEEDS.

Apparatus consisting of a seed germinator with porous clay sprouting cups, designed after those used at the Seed Control Station at Zurich, Switzerland, and delicate scales for the determination of the percentages of impurities have been provided. A number of preliminary examinations of samples of seeds obtained of different dealers have been made during the year. While it is yet too soon to report the results of these examinations, two facts may be mentioned. 1st-That the percentage of seeds that had the power of germination when placed under favorable circumstances was smaller in several of the samples than the European standard for that kind of seeds. 2d-That the percentages of weed seed found in some of the samples of grass seed was too large. It appears quite evident that further examinations of samples of grass and grain seeds will prove that some of the most noxious of weeds are being rapidly introduced into our meadows as the result of using seeds which have been carelessly grown.

POULTRY DIVISION.

SAMUEL CUSHMAN.

EXPERIMENTS WITH TURKEYS (TWO SEASONS.)

Early in 1892, the Poultry Division was authorized to attempt to aid the turkey industry of the State, and investigations were at once made to learn the cause of the decline in the production of Rhode Island turkeys. A wild gobbler was procured from Maryland, and an attempt made to cross him with domestic turkeys, that vigorous stock might be secured for distribution about the State, but we were unsuccessful the first season. A lot of turkeys were reared from domestic stock, however, and experiments were carried on with them. A shed built for turkeys was used for roosting quarters with unsatisfactory results, and the effect of confinement and different foods on young turkeys was also studied. Our success in raising them was no greater than that of others in this neighborhood, 50 per cent. of young and old being lost, but considerable was learned. Early in 1893 several wild cross gobblers were bought in the West, and arrangements were made with successful turkey raisers in this State to breed from them and supply the Poultry Division with as many of the best of their progeny as might be required for distribution for breeding purposes. Another attempt was also made to breed the wild gobbler with Rhode Island and Western bronze hens, this time with success. The halfwild young were found to be active, hardy and unusually heavy