SEEDS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXVII, Issue 8150, 22 April 1887, Page 2

SEEDS.

The following is an extract from the annual report of the official botanist of the Eoyal Agricultural Society ; During the past year I have dealf wffjii 344 applications from members of the Society, the great majority having reference to grass seeds for laying down permanent pasture. I have to report as the general result of these investigations that the quality of the seeds has been maintained. The samples of meadow fescue (Festuca pratensis Huds.) were remarkably free from rye grass, though 8 per cent contained from a quarter to nearly a half of this much cheaper and less valuable grass. Such quantities are due to deliberate adulteration. The germination of the seeds of this grass was high—Bß per cent being the average of the whole, and, but for two samples that had a low germination, the average would have risen to 95 per cent. The samples of tall fescue ( Festuca ■ datior, Linn.) were on the whole of superior quality. They were generally true, though one sample contained 50 per cent of rye grass, and some others were largely made. up of meadow fescue. The average germination amounted to 70 per cent, but a considerable number did not reach 60 per cent. The most serious impurity present in this grass was ergot, which occurred in 12 per cent of the samples. The favourite natural locality for tall fescue is the banks of streams or ditches, and there ergot is likely to be more abundant than anywhere else in the field. The smaller and less important fescues were this year true'to their several kinds. The germination of sheep's fescue {Festuca. ovina, Linn.) was low, being only 53 per. cent, while the samples of hard fescue (Festuca duriuscula , Linn.) were good, averaging 74 per cent. These smaller wiry fescues are desirable elements in a good pasture only in upland or otherwise exceptional localities. The samples of cocksfoot (Dactylicglomcrata, Linn.) were generally free from imparities, and where impurities occurred they were obviously due to careless harvesting or imperfect cleaning, and not to deliberate adulteration. Yorkshire fog (Holms lanatus, Linn.) was the chief impurity, and it was occasionally accompanied with rye grass and fescues. The germination maintained a high average,, amounting to 79 per cent; some samples fell below 50 per cent, but a considerable proportion were over 90 per cent. A large proportion of the samples of meadow foxtail (Alopecurus pratensis, Linn.)contained the seeds of tufted hair grass (Aira caespiiosa, Linn.), and often in considerable quantity, amounting to 14, 18, and 22 per cent. The germination of this grass throughout the past year was, on thewhole, poor; yet only 9 per cent of the samples fell below 50 per cent of germination. Yellow oat grass (Avena Jlaveseens, Linn.)had a high germination, but all the samplesexamined by me had a considerable proportion of other seeds, chiefly meadow grass and small dogstail. The samples of Timothy (Phlmmpratense,. Linn.) were, as a rule, clean, though this grass is often the vehicle of conveying weeds into a pasture. Several samples contained from 8 to 12 per cent of the seeds of sorrel, chickweed, poppy, scorpion, grass, and self-heal. The average germination reached SQ'lper cent, feut the great majority were considerably over 90 percent. jfe* The meadow grasses were very both in quality and germination. stalked meadow grass (Poa trivialis, Linn.): was generally free from the seeds of other grasses, but one sample was made up of nearly 50 per cent of small seeds of dogstail. The germination averaged 65 per cent, but a few samples did not have a quarter,, of the seeds germinating, while a considerable number grew over 90 per cent. The smooth-stalked meadow grass ( Poa pratensis, Linn.) was free from admixture of other seeds; the germination, however, averaged less than 50 per cent. The wood meadow grass (Poa Nemoralis, Linn.) contained in the majority of samples the seeds of tufted-hair grass (Aira caesvitosa, Linn.), and in some small seeds of cocksfoot. The small annual vernal grass (Anthoxanthum puellii, Lecoq. and Lam.) was absent from all the samples of sweet vernal grass that were examined by me. The average germination of this grass was 54 percent. The samples of dogstail (Cynosure crisiatus, Linn.) were free from admixture with other seeds, and the germination had an average of S 3 per cent. Florin (Agrostis alba , var. stolonifera , Linn.) contained ergot in each specimen that came into my hands. The germination of this grass averaged over 90 pec cent. The clovers were generally pure; the samples of alsyke were quite free from dodder, but 16 per cent of the samples of red clover contained the seeds of this destructive parasite. Sorrel is a very common weed in clover seed, and a large number of the samples of white clover this year contained considerable quantities of this seed. The germination of the clover seeds was satisfactory. "Bed clover (Trifolium praten.se, Linn.) bad an average of 95 per cent of germinating seeds; white or Dutch clover (T. repeus, Linn.) average 90 per cent; alsyke (T. hybridum, Linn.) germinated 95 per cent; and trefoil, or yellow clover (Medicago cuperlina, Linn.), had an average of 94 per cent germinating seed. The grass mixtures that I have examined during the year have been of a much better quality than in previous years, but I have still abundant evidence that those mixtures,, ae a rule, supply a very poor material for the production of good pastures, and arethe chief means of introducing worthless grasses and weeds into meadows. Thus, an example supplied to one of the members of the Society as an “ autumn mixture of grass and clovers" consisted of 50 per cent Italian rye errass, 25 per cent common rye grass, 2 per cent each of dogstail, Yorkshire fog, and brown grass, and 13 per cent of clovers; another as “ grasses and clovers for one year’s hay," consisted of 12 per cent timothy, 25 per cent rye grass, 44 per cent clovers, and 19 per cent of turnip or some allied seed.