Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 17.djvu/834

SEED. 756 SEELIGER. jiany cases water may cany seeds for great dis- tances. See Sl'EBM.T01>HYTES. SEEDEATER. A very small, variegated, and sumet lines brightly colored finch or 'grass- iniit' uf llie genus .Sporophila, several species of wliieh are found in tropical America, feeding mainly upon grass-seeds and the like, and are often "familiar about gardens. One species, the blaek-faced [tiporophila Morelelli), extends north Into Texas and is distinguished by having the head and fore parts mainly black. It nests near the ground and lays eggs of the colors shown in the I'latc of EuGs or Song Birds. SEED-PLANTS. The eonmion name of the higliest of the four great divisions of plants. !See Si>EHM.VTol'lIYTKS. SEED TESTING. The practice of determin- ing the purity of seeds by visual examination an'd the viability by sprouting samples. The active erusade in seed testing may be said to have begun with Professor Nobbe. who estab- lished the first laboratory for testing seeds at Tharand, Saxony, in 1869, since when other lab- oratories have been established in most of the countries of Europe, and in some countries the (juality of seed is a subject of governmental con- trol. In the United States the seed-testing laboratories are in connection with the National Department of Agriculture and many of the State experiment stations. Legislation looking to seed control has been enacted by some of the States. The need for seed testing prior to sale is well shown by the repeated report of seed of low vitality, and often with admixtures of dead seed, sand," and weed seed. Many of the most troublesome weeds have been introduced in seeds purchased in good faith. Grass and clover seed are commonly mixed with similar seeds of less value. In countries where seed-control regula- tions exist samples of definite weight are sent to a testing laboratory where their value is de- termined and a certificate issued. Based upon this report, the dealer guarantees the quality of his seed. As the laboratory tests are generally made under the most favorable conditions, a cer- tain amount of latitude is allowed, and certain penalties are exacted when the samples are in- ferior to the standard. This system appears to have given satisfaction where adopted, and the quality of seed in the market is much better than formerly. In testing for purity a definite por- tion is weighed out from an average sample and the whole carefully examined under a magnify- ing glass and all chaff, earth, etc., rejected. The weiglit of the remainder expressed in per cent, shows the purity. Of the pure seed a definite number — 100 or 200 — are germinated in special- ly devised apparatus. The sprouted seeds are counted every day and removed. This is con- tinued from 10 to 30 days, dependent upon the kind of seed, some sproiiting much faster than others. At the end of the period, which is fixed for every kind of seed, the number of sprouted seeds exjjressed decimally represents the percent- age of viable seed. The per cent, of purity multi- plied by the per cent, of germinations, divided by 100, will show the intrinsic value of the seed. This is the fairest method of estimating the qual- ity of seed, since the grower is interested in the nuinbor of plants he can obtain from a given quantity of seed. If a certain sample of seed should give 90 per cent, purity and 90 per cent. germination, its value, according to this method, would be 81 per cent. In the foreign seed labora- tories fees are charged for testing and certifying to the quality of seeds. These are paid by the dealer and usuallj' include a reexamination free of charge to the planter if he is not satisfied with the seed when purchased. To protect the dealer, a certain quantity of seed must be purchased, and other ' requirements are made to insure against substitution on the part of the consumer. In the United States, where little seed is sold under guarant}', the few laboratories do not make charges for inspection. Naturally seed that has been examined and certified to brings a higlier price in the market, but unfortunately the overwhelming sentiment in America seems still in favor of cheap seed regardless of the quality. For full descriptions of methods, etc., see I'liited mates Department Agriculture Yearbook, 1894. and subsequent volumes. SEE'LAND. One of the Danish islands. See Zealand. SEELEY, se'li. Harbt Govier (18.39—). An English geologist and paleontologist, born in London and educated at the Royal School of Jlines and then at Sidney, Sussex College, Cam- bridge, He arranged the fossils in the Wood- wardian Museum and became professor and lec- turer in King's College and Queen's College, London, in 1870, and dean of the latter in I88I. His paleontological researches include the dis- covery of skeletons of the Pareiasaurus and of the Cj'nognathus. His works include: Ornitho- saiiria (1870) ; Physical Geology and Palaeontol- ogy (1884) : The Fresh-water Fishes of Europe (l'88(i) ; Factors in Life (1887) ; and Dragons of the Air (1901). SEELEY, John Robert (1834-95). An Eng- lish essayist and historian, born in London, edu- cated at Christ's College, Cambridge. In I8C3 he was appointed professor of Latin in L'niversity College, London, and in 1869 professor of modern history at Cambridge, a position which he re- tained till his death. His Ecce Homo (published anonymously in 1865), a plain account of Christ the man, excited great interest and called forth much discussion and many replies. It was sup- plemented by A'afHrai _Ke/t(/ioH (1882). His val- uable contributions to history comprise The Life and Times of Stein (1878) : and The Expansion of England (1883). The importance of this work lies in its clear setting forth of the reasons of the long struggle (1688-1815) between France and England. He published The Growth of British Policy in 1895. Consult the memoir by Prothero prefaced to that work. SEELIGEK, za'll-ger, Hrco (1849-). A German astronomer, born at Biala, in Austrian Silesia, and educated in Heidelberg and at Leip- zig, where he became assistant in the observatory in 1871. In 1881 he was appointed director of the Observatory of Gotha and in 1882 he received a like position and a chair in the university at Munich. He wrote: Vntersuchnngen iiher die lieicegungsverhiiltnisse in dem dreifachen Stern- systeme ' f Cnneri (I88I; 2d series, 1888; 3d series, 1894), Zur Theorie der Beleuchtung der grosscn Planeten, insbesondere des Saturns (1887) ; and Allgemeine Probleme der Mechanik des Himmels (1892).