Show violet rays detect seeds violet rays are now used to protect the american farmer but the rays are used on grass seeds not the farmer the rays used in an almost uncanny test make italian ry ryegrass egrass eraas sometimes sold as english ry egrass reveal its true identity when the seeds are germinated on filter paper and put to in a darkened chamber and the short rays played upon them the paper on which the roots of the italian variety lie at once betray the seed by giving off a distinct ghostlike glow even more mystifying the apparently identical seeds of the english variety when tested side by side with the ital lan ion fall to react some seeds of the two varieties are otherwise indistinguishable gui gul but the english variety us bally brings a higher price the dis covery that short rays would make the filter paper fluoresce luo on which th roots of certain plants grow was waa made in germany and the department of agriculture has adopted it to protect american farmers in buying seed |